


Public Affairs

by CharminglyyEvil



Category: The 100, kabby - Fandom
Genre: Adultery, Angst, Beach Sex, F/M, Fluff, Scandal, Slow Burn, great barrier reef fic, sunset cruises
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-07-23 23:44:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 53,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7484610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharminglyyEvil/pseuds/CharminglyyEvil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been two years since Abby Griffin stepped onto the beautiful beaches in Proserpine, Queensland, returning to her old home town. Struggling with her conflicting feelings towards her nearing marriage to Thelonious, Abby escapes to the Whitsundays with Marcus Kane, their new experiences rekindling old flames between them...Threatening Thelonious's marriage to Abby and his new career, it won't be long until somebody gets burned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Abigail

**Author's Note:**

> So I went on a amazing five day holiday to the Whitsundays; I snorkeled in the Great Barrier Reef AND IT WAS MAGICAL, went on sunset and star gazing cruises drinking champagne, lounged on the beautiful soft white beaches, saw stunning ocean and island views, and all I could think of was Kabby (yes i am absolute kabby trash that i can't even enjoy a holiday without thinking of them) and how CUTE it would be if Marcus and Abby had these experiences together too. Then I started thinking that the Whitsundays would be the perfect and prettiest and secluded place to run away and have an affair. Annnnd, welll i wrote this. 
> 
> I regret NOTHING.

  


**Abigail**

****...

Abby closed her eyes and breathed in the salty air. Her eyes opened, taking in the wide open oceans and blankets of white sand.

It had been three years since she had stepped foot onto this seashore in Airlie Beach, Proserpine, a tropical paradise for many, but one that had too many bad memories that she had escaped, and hoped she would never have to relive again.

The beach was truly breathtaking, like a snapshot taken right out of a travel magazine. The ocean was endless, stretching across the island peak horizon in sparkling crystal blue waves pouring over green bean ripples, swallowing the shore and licking Abby’s calves. The water itself felt refreshing, the breeze a cool caress to her skin in the thirty degree spring heat, and between the chill that threatened to bite her wet legs if she got out and the sand that crumbled so perfectly around her toes and swallowed her feet whole, Abby was struggling to leave the water.

Yet beneath the beauty she saw memories of a time before all the pain; Clarke shaking her blonde pigtails and giggling as she buried Jake in the sand, Jake carrying Clarke on his shoulders as he took her out into the water for the first time, promising that he would protect her, Abby rolling on top of Jake in the sand and fooling around with him under the stars, the two of them blissfully happy to have called in a baby sitter in so they could have that night together.

Abby’s hand instinctively flew to her neck, only to find it empty, her fingers brushing bare skin where her previous wedding ring had been. Instead Abby had another wedding ring on her finger, shinier than her previous one, made of fine gold instead of silver and holding a twenty carat diamond. But this one did not bring her comfort when she relived her painful memories. Right now, it felt suffocating around her finger, like shackles on a prisoner, and made her shudder when she touched it.

Abby had a half mind to throw the ring into the ocean and scream.

As if reading her mind, her phone rang to life, grabbing her attention. Abby reached for her iPhone in her shoulder purse, _Thelonious_ flashing on her screen. She muted her phone and slipped it back into her bag, sighing.

They had only been in their new home for a week before a fight broke out between the two of them. Thelonious had dropped the news to her this morning over breakfast; he had been invited to attend a prestigious dinner with the hospital board of directors and needed her there by his side. That, of course, would mean leaving Clarke by herself for the night. Abby had already been so busy with moving that she hadn’t spent a Friday night in with Clarke for a while, and had no interest in attending a fancy dinner. Of course, her response did not go down well with her fiancée. Their argument had escalated, and Abby remembered chairs screeching and glass breaking and a dining table trembling before she finally mustered the control to grab her handbag and run to the beach. Abby was just glad that Clarke hadn’t been there to witness their argument.

She knew that she should call Thelonious back and let him know that she was okay. She knew that the rational thing to do would be to turn around and walk back home, perhaps stop by one of the cafes and pick up lunch to make peace with him.

And yet Abby found herself walking back to the shore and down towards the docks.

Because Abby was still pissed that Thelonious had made the rash decision to move them back to Queensland for his future career opportunities and with little consultation with her, and zero care towards what she or Clarke wanted. And she was still pissed that after five years of grieving for Jake, her heart still ached in this coastal town where she and Jake and Clarke used to live, the last place where she was truly happy, _and god dammit didn’t Thelonious understand that moving back here would bring her pain?_

Abby was pissed that her fiancée had put his career over his family.

So Abby kept on walking, ignoring her stiletto heels abandoned on the sand and her buzzing phone in her handbag and the stern voice of responsibility that told her to turn around.

She walked along the docks, admiring the rows of sailboats, cruise ships and fishing boats until she spotted a sleek, white yacht with a goal stripe around it. Yet it wasn’t the boat’s design that caught her attention, but the cursive writing printed in gold on the side of the boat, ‘ _Apikaira’._

“Apikaira,” Abby muttered under her breath.

It wasn’t Latin, (a language she was familiar with), yet it looked familiar nonetheless. Abby approached the boat, her attention quickly shifting to the man who was knelt down on the deck, sorting through a kit of supplies. All Abby could see were his broad shoulders and toned back just visible through his thin, wet shirt, and waves of dark, un-kept hair, yet he looked familiar.

Then he stood up, revealing an inch scar the shape of a sickle down the back of his right calf, and it clicked.

“ _Marcus?”_ Abby gasped.

The man stood up and spun around, his eyes blooming with surprise when he spotted her. “ _Abby?”_

Marcus gripped the metal bar surrounding the boat and swung over it, jumping onto the ramp. Abby hurried over to meet him.

“Oh my god, Abby, is it really you?”

Abby enveloped him in her arms in response, pulling him into a crushing embrace. She closed her eyes and smelled salt and ocean and sand, and despite his damp shirt and wet hair, she felt tingling warmth radiate from his body. _How she missed his warmth._ Images of Marcus embracing her so many times before, on the beach, in the rain, in her house when she found out that Jake had died, flashed through her mind.

Abby pulled back, taking him in properly for the first time. From his warm, mahogany coloured eyes that crinkled around the edges when he smiled, to the furrows that wrinkled his forehead, outlining his previous frowns, to the stubble peppering his defined jawline, he hadn’t changed a bit.

“Yes, it’s me,” Abby finally said, a little breathless from the surprising encounter.

Marcus held her shoulders at arms-length, eyes running down her features. “I can’t believe it’s you. What-what are you doing here?”

Abby’s immediate response was to lift her arms up to the side in a shrug and let out a breathy laugh, as if she was a little lost for words herself. “Well, we moved back here. We arrived a week ago actually. Thelonious was offered a position on the board of directors for the Clinical Council Committee down here, a position he had been trying to get for years. So we moved back.”

Marcus blew out a long breath. “Wow. And you left your advisory position in Canberra for this?”

Abby shrugged again and smiled. “Thelonious was smart to take the job, and I supported him with his decision. Besides, I missed working in practice, and now I’m able to pick up my old position down at the hospital again.”

Marcus had always been able to read her so well. And if he noticed the way her smile was a strained stretch of the lips that didn’t quite meet her eyes, or the way her jaw tensed when she spoke of her support for her fiancé’s career choice, he didn’t mention it.

Instead Marcus said sincerely, “Well, it’s really nice to see you again Abby.”

Abby smiled. “It’s good to see you too.”

It was then that Marcus noticed the ring, glaring gold winking in the light. “So, you married Thelonious then?”

Abby followed his gaze to the ring, swallowing. She twisted the ring uncomfortably as she said, “Not quite yet. We’re engaged, but we still need to set the wedding date.”

Marcus bowed his head down in a nod, and then offered her a small smile. “Well, I’m happy for you. Knowing Jaha, I’m sure the wedding will be spectacular.” He frowned, looking passed Abby to the empty docks behind her. “So where is Thelonious? Where’s Clarke?”

“Clarke went off to catch up with her old friends, and Thelonious and I had a fight. I chose to leave the house and head down to the beach before our argument escalated any further.”

Marcus’s eyes softened with concern. “I’m sure he just needs some time to let this all blow over.”

Abby nodded. “They were my thoughts too.”

He stared at her for a while, before the corner of his lips twitched upwards. “So, you went down to the beach then, near the palm trees where Clarke used to bury her collection of shells?”

Abby’s eyes bloomed with surprise. “Oh my god, you remember that?”

Marcus’s lips cracked into a smile. “Of course I do. I still remember making an oath to Clarke that I would never tell anyone where she hid her shells when I found her burying them there that day,” Marcus chuckled at the memory. “You used to go down there when you were upset. That’s where I found you that night when you fled the Christmas party years ago. Do you remember? The one Miss Patmore threw every year?”

Abby cringed, briefly burying her face into her hands at the embarrassing memory. “Oh my god, Miss Patmore’s Christmas party. I spent years trying to forget that night.”

The festive spirit and alcohol was flowing that night. It had only taken Abby three glasses of chardonnay to become drunk, but then again, she had always been a light weight. There was a reason why Abby never drank in public. And by the third glass of wine, Abby was trying out her terrible celebratory impersonations to shocked guests, before throwing up all over Miss Patmore’s famous Pavlova. Abby remembered running and stumbling down to the beach, completely and utterly humiliated.

Abby’s eyes found Marcus as the blurry memory pieced together in her head. “You followed me to the beach that night didn’t you?”

 “Well, Jake was working, and someone had to carry your drunken arse home.”

Abby laughed. “God, I really was gone that night. I forgot you were there.” Abby studied him closely, recalling her other distressing trips to the beach. “That wasn’t the first time you followed me to the beach.”

It was true. When she lost her first patient, when their cat died and when they all thought that Jake would lose his seat on the Council, she had always retreated to the beach, to the special spot with the palm trees and Clarke’s shells, and Marcus had always followed her there too.

“It wasn’t the first time I was stumbling down to the beach either. Yet you were always there to pick me back up again.”

Marcus was silent for a moment, then “Of course I was Abby. I still am you know.”

Abby swallowed, her eyes briefly flickering down.

_He had always been there for her._

Yet on that November nearly two years ago, she had packed up her bags and left Proserpine and Marcus, with the news that she would be leaving with Thelonious and Clarke to Canberra for her new career working as an advisor for the Department of Health, and would not be returning.

Two years ago, Abby Griffin had vowed to move on with her life and never look back.

Since then, she had ignored Marcus’s phone calls, and (even on Clarke’s request) refused to make any contact with him. She had cut him out of her life as if he was no more than a stranger, and not the best friend who had weaved his way into her heart and left a mark on all of her thoughts and memories. 

“I’m so sorry Marcus,” Abby began, her eyes softening with remorse. “For never calling you back, for cutting you out of my life, _out of Clarke’s life_. It wasn’t fair on you and-“ 

“Abby, stop,” Marcus reached for her arm, silencing her. “Forget about it, okay? We both made poor choices, and we both lost people we love as a result. But you’re here now and I’m…I’m just glad that I have you back in my life again.”

“Me too,” Abby said. She felt her heart swell up when she met his warm, forgiving eyes.

 _She was back in his life, and she was never going to lose him again._  

And when he smiled, a tug of the lips that crinkled around his cheeks, Abby felt her chest tighten, knowing that she did not deserve his forgiveness. But he wanted to let the past go, so she would too.

Abby suddenly remembered his stunning boat she was admiring earlier. She tilted her head to the yacht and said, “I don’t remember this being here when I left.”

Marcus followed her gaze and smiled proudly. “I purchased this not long after you left actually. She’s second hand but I got a good price for her. Do you want to take a look?”

Abby grinned. “Do you even have to ask?”

It was difficult climbing onto the boat in her pencil skirt and blouse, but with the help of Marcus, Abby managed to step onto the edge of the boat and stumble onto the deck. Marcus disappeared behind a door leading inside the boat, so Abby slung her purse onto one of the leather cushioned benches and took a moment to admire the yacht.

She was standing on a polished, maple wood deck in the dip of the back of the boat. Two cushioned benches curving on both sides of the door and a wooden wheel in the middle of the deck took up most of the space. She saw little cubbyholes underneath the benches and mini speakers attached to the curving roof of the boat. Looking up and following the metal railings that surrounded the yacht, Abby saw a spacious white deck down the front/bow of the boat.

Abby walked over to the side of the boat and leaned over the metal railings, staring out into the ocean. Marcus shortly emerged with two bottles of beers. He dropped down by her side, an elbow resting on the railings as he offered her the beverage. Abby accepted it with a small ‘ _thanks’_ and took a generous swing of the bitter liquid.

Abby let out a long breath and with it, the chest full of stress she’d been holding in since her fight with Thelonious. She took in the clear blue skies, skin-baking sunshine and shimmering ocean waves.

Sipping her beer, she said, “You know, I missed the water when I left here. I missed the sailing, the swimming, the open ocean views, the islands and salty air. I didn’t think I would, but I did.”

Marcus watched her closely, had noticed the light that dawned in her eyes when she spoke. “Well, how about we take the boat out to the islands then?”

Abby spun her head around to face him with wide eyes. “What? _Now?”_

Marcus shrugged with a sheepish smile. “I don’t see why not. The weather’s warm and the tides out. Unless you had other plans today?”

Abby thought of the dinner party she should prepare for, choosing what she would wear and organising dinner for Clarke before she left. She thought of the unpacking they still needed to do and the mess in their house. Then she thought of the cool summer breeze crashing through her and the stunning ocean and island views. Her skin itched with excitement at the thought of sailing again. 

Abby wrapped her fingers around her beer bottle, contemplating her decision. She knew what normal, rational Abby would do; get off this boat now and return home back to her family. But to hell with normal-rational Abby.

Abby to a swing of her beer and said, “Screw it. Let’s go.”

Marcus grinned. He walked over to the wheel and started the engine. Abby followed him, watching him steer the wheel as he slowly reversed the yacht out. She eyed the bottle of beer near his feet with a playful smile. “You sure it’s safe to be drinking and running the boat? I’m pretty sure there’s a rule against that.”

Marcus glanced over his side and grinned. “Well, I think we’ll be safe as long as my alcohol tolerance is better than yours.”

Abby scrunched her nose up with the purse of her lips and playfully punched him in the shoulder, stirring a chuckle from his chest. “Hey, I have gotten better you know.”

Marcus rolled his eyes and returned his attention back to the waters. “Of course you have Abby.”

Abby followed his gaze as they headed out into the ocean, a wistful smile gracing her lips. “So, are you going to tell me where we’re going then?”

Marcus just shook his head and grinned. “No. It’s a surprise,” he turned to face her, amused at the irritation furrowing her features. “And I know just how much you love surprises.”

…

The journey would take them a couple of hours, but the time flew by for both of them.

Despite their years apart and the rocky way they had ended their friendship, it didn’t take them long to fall back into step with each other again. They built their bridges slowly, chatting, laughing, and catching each other up on what was going on in their lives, gradually thawing the icy walls and distance that years of separation had created between then.

Abby learnt that since she had left, Marcus had quit his job, and had sold his house to purchase this yacht. Now, he ran his own business, charging tourists for him to take them out to the Whitsundays. The money was good but the job wasn’t consistent (especially during winter), but it was enough for him to get by.

Abby updated Marcus on how Clarke has been, making a mental note to schedule a day for Clarke and Marcus to catch up (the two had always been close). She told Marcus that she was excited to return back to working at the hospital again, and was pleased to find out that Jackson (one of her old interns) had recently graduated and was working there too.

Abby forgot how comfortable she felt around Marcus. She forgot how he had a way of making her laugh, and how easy conversation was with him.

She forgot how familiar his touch was, steady and soft at the same time. A hand quickly reaching for her waist when the boat rocked, steadying her, making sure she wouldn’t fall. Gentle fingers guiding her hand towards a new breathtaking sight, his voice light with joy and amazement as he pointed out another spectacular sight – an island, a bird, a whale surfacing from the ocean… A firm hand gliding over her shoulder to rest on her arm, concerned eyes seeking hers when she felt a little sea sick, only leaving her when Abby went to rest her head on his shoulder until the nausea passed and reassured him that she was fine.

Abby had been so caught up in conversation with Marcus that she didn’t realise they had almost arrived. She was leaning over the railings again, her eyes studying the gold writing on the boat, _‘Apikaira,’_ and was just about to ask Marcus what the foreign word meant when he announced, “ _We’re here._ ”

Abby lifted her head up, gasping. The island that was once a green peak on the horizon an hour ago was now towering over the water, curving and stretching along the ocean for miles in lush green humps and slopes that was the island’s forest. The ocean glittered around it, like streams of stars dancing across the crystal clear water. Blankets of soft, snowy white sand swept through the water and around the island’s trees and rocky cliffs, looking so silky smooth and inviting as if Abby could dive in and submerge herself blissfully within it.

“It’s so beautiful,” Abby breathed, unable to tear her eyes away from the view.

Marcus smiled as he slowed down the yacht to park it in place. He stepped onto the edge of the boat and followed it around to the bow of the boat to anchor the yacht in place, leaving Abby to drink in the gorgeous sight.

“Hayman Island,” Abby whispered, as the memory fell into place. When Marcus returned Abby said to him as if seeking confirmation, “We’re in Hayman Island.”

Marcus nodded. “Jake always mentioned how much you loved Hayman Island. I thought you would want to see it again.”

“Jake and I met here,” Abby said, suddenly remembering. “When he was getting his diving license, and I was out with Callie. We used to sail down here every week when we were teenagers to get some privacy from our parents.”

Marcus smiled. “I guess that’s why you fell in love with this island.”

“Maybe. Although I fell in love with this place the moment I saw it and swam in its waters.”

Abby walked over to the side of the boat and leant over the railings, her eyes blooming with delight and awe at the tropical life blossoming in the ocean. She saw schools of skinny yellow fish with blue stripes zipping in the blue, endlessly deep ocean, giant fish with fat lips in shocking colours of blue, red and purple, like when her Aunt applied too much lipstick on, and whispers of algae and other furry plants waving from below the water.

“Well, are you just going to stand there, or are you coming in?”

Abby whirled around to see Marcus, who was hanging a beach towel over the railing. She eyed the goggles in his hand and raised her eyebrows. “You’re jumping in?”

Marcus gave her a questioning look, as if it was obvious. “Well, the views a lot better in the water than it is up here.”

“But I haven’t even got my swimmers.”

Marcus shrugged and smiled. “So?”

Then to clarify his point, Marcus pulled his shirt off and dived into the ocean. Abby laughed as sprinkles of water splashed her too. She looked over the edge of the boat, watching him emerge with a wide grin.

“Come on Abby, the water’s great!”

Abby bit her lip as she stared at the water. _What was wrong with her? She was actually contemplating jumping in too!_ But the water was so clear and crisp and cool, its glittering waves practically seducing her. The very thought of submerging herself into the water made her shiver with excitement.

As if reading her mind, Marcus called out, “Abby, no one else is here to see you. You can do whatever you want.”

Abby chewed her lower lip, biting back a grin. _To hell with propriety._

Abby quickly unbuttoned her blouse and slipped out of her skirt, tossing the clothes aside. Walking over to the middle of the deck, she took a deep breath, before running off the edge of the boat, screaming as she jumped into the ocean.

Abby bopped her head above the water, laughing with pure elation. The water felt _amazing,_ refreshing and cool, licking over her skin and flowing with her movements. She felt light, _weightless,_ arms and legs stroking and kicking, breaking through the water with ease. She could hear the gentle whoosh of the breeze and water sloshing against the boat. When she looked down, she could see an array of tiny fish swimming past her and weaving between her legs. 

She brushed her hair out of her eyes and spotted Marcus. She swam over to him, eyes bright as she kicked by his side. “I can’t believe you convinced me to do that.”

Marcus chuckled. “You can thank me later. Here,” He handed her his goggles. “Go on, take a look below.”

Abby slipped the goggles on and, taking a deep breath, submerged herself into the cool depths once more. Her eyes widened at the breathtaking sight.

She saw fish. _So many fish._ Fish in tropical colours and patterns swimming past her, rainbow fish with chubby lips and flittering, glass-thin fins, flat, spotted fish with long snouts, fish with bulging cheeks and so many glaring bright stripes that it was dizzying to look at.

She saw sharp, rocky pieces of coral lying below the surface and clustering across the reef, some in vibrant midnight blue and mint green colours, but most of them had faded colours, bleached. She saw sea-stars wrapped around coral, anemones dancing in the water like thick hair, fury pocket looking organisms stuck to the rocks, folding in when she swam to close to it, than blooming out once more.

Abby followed the sunlight radiating past the reef walls, washing the abundance of life on the seabed below in its white glow.

Abby swam closer to a school of fish nibbling on coral, her hand sweeping out, and fingers almost brushing the fish before they hurried away. Her eyes were wide, wanting to soak everything in, but her lungs were burning for air. Quickly, she swam back up, gasping.

“So how was it?”

Abby turned around to Marcus and pushed her goggles onto her head. Her eyes were bright, cheeks a little flushed from excitement and lack of breath as she said, “It’s incredible. I forgot how beautiful the reef is.”

Sure, Abby had a collection of photos and memories illustrating her trips to the Whitsundays with Jake and Clarke, but none of them could ever do the reef justice and adequately illustrate just how beautiful and magical it is.

“Abby, look.”

Abby followed Marcus’s gaze, spotting a turtle dipping into the ocean a few feet away from her. Slipping the goggles back on and inhaling sharply, Abby dived in, following the turtle. She pushed herself further and further, following it closely, watching it glide over beds of pink coral and through schools of fish. In that moment, she wished Clarke was with her to share the magical sight. 

It wasn’t long before Abby lost the turtle when he delved deeper towards the ocean floor. She wanted to follow him, but she knew better than to push herself any further, and her lungs felt like they were on fire. Quickly, Abby swam back up and resurfaced, gulping down copious amounts of air. 

She turned back around, surprised at just how far away she was from Marcus. She felt breathless at the thought of swimming all the way back. Abby had never been a strong swimmer. Nonetheless, she ventured on, legs kicking furiously, arms pedalling through the water as she pushed herself further.

Abby didn’t realise just how exhausted and dizzy she was until she collapsed into Marcus’s arms, breathless. He caught her, his hands wrapping around her waist, securing her close to him.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked, his eyes softening with concern.

Abby nodded and went to hold onto his shoulders, thankful for the support. “I just…need a moment to catch my breath.”

“It’s okay, I’ve got you.”

Abby lifted her eyes up and smiled. “I know.”

She closed her eyes briefly, letting the dizzying sensation pass. When she opened her eyes she felt her breath catch in her throat. His eyes were warm and tender, holding onto hers with so much care, as if he was afraid that she would slip away if he was to turn away. Feeling secure in Marcus’s arms, Abby slowed down her kicking and relaxed, allowing Marcus to support both of their weights. Abby looked down, noticing that he was kicking extra harder, his grip on her waist a little tighter, but he didn’t let her go.

He didn’t let her drown.

Abby took a steady breath, feeling her heart rate ease back to normal. She began to kick at normal speed again, easing the burden off him. “Thank you.”

Marcus shook his head so a few wet curls fell over his eye, his lips crawling into a smile. “No need to thank me.”

Abby smiled, once again finding herself caught in his eyes. She noticed the curl hanging over his eye, her fingers twitching into his shoulder. The temptation to brush away that piece of hair and run her fingers through the rest of his hair in the process was overwhelming...

“Abby?”

Abby startled, dragging her eyes away from his hair. “Sorry, I was just…” she stopped, a little flustered. Marcus lifted an eyebrow, clearly amused. Abby shook her head and released him, swimming on her own now. “It was nothing.”

Marcus was still smiling, but he didn’t mention anything of it. Instead he said, “Can you hang here for a moment? I have something in the boat that I forgot to get.”

Abby nodded. She watched him leave before diving back below to look at some more sights, but made sure that she didn’t swim too far away this time. When she resurfaced Marcus had returned, holding two snorkels and diving masks.

“I know they’re not attractive to wear,” he joked, handing her one. “But they’ll stop us from drowning.”

Abby smiled, accepting the mask and snorkel. “It’s perfect.”

…

They had been snorkelling for a few hours (although it only seemed like minutes) - racing each other to the next turtle or eel or peculiar looking sea creature they saw, and seeing just how far they could dive down towards the seabed before bursting for air- before Abby saw blood.

It didn’t take her long to find the cut on Marcus’s arm, concluding that he had scraped his arm on some coral. Of course Marcus protested, arguing that the few inch bleeding wound was nothing and Abby’s concern was unnecessary, but she waved him off with a stern glare and a, _‘I’ll be the judge of that.’_

So Abby pushed Marcus back towards the boat, and he obediently obliged with a secret smile.

Marcus knew better than to argue with Doctor Griffin.

She worked quickly on cleaning and bandaging his wound. And Marcus couldn’t help but chuckle with a quiet thought when Abby finished, lifting up his arm to examine her work, muttering under her breath _‘I can’t believe you were going to let yourself bleed in the reef.’_

_Abby hadn’t changed a bit._

Now they were lounging on their towels on the deck, eating a very late lunch and drying off in the setting sun. It was peaceful, with nothing but the sounds of water slapping against the swaying boat, the occasional seagulls calling out and the sounds of the two of them munching on their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Abby was sitting with her legs curled to the side, cloaked in one of Marcus’s old shirt. She briefly abandoned her sandwich and beer to rest her head on Marcus’s shoulder. Marcus glanced down at her, smiling through a mouthful of peanut butter and bread. He swallowed then asked, “Still feeling sea sick? I can start the boat and start driving whenever you’re ready.”

Abby closed her eyes and smiled a soft, blissful thing. “No, I’m not feeling sick. Just lightheaded from all the beer.”

She leaned back up and retuned her attention back to the cut on his arm, as she had been doing for some time, re-checking it, making sure that the occasional splashes of sea water didn’t wet the bandage.

Marcus looked down at her, smiling at her concern. Then he noticed her gaze drifting from his arm and towards his chest, where she noticed the faint scars slashed along his torso. Abby briefly stopped her work on his bandaged arm, her fingers floating towards a scar down the middle of his chest. Her fingers traced the scar, feeling him tense and shiver under her cool touch. Her fingers trailed over another scar curving along his hipbone, then another snaking down his abdomen.

Marcus quickly caught her hand before they could venture any further, catching her eyes with his. Abby lifted her head up, a frown pinching her features.

“I don’t remember seeing these.”

And Abby _would_ remember. She had spent years admiring Marcus’s body (more so after Jake passed away) – and Marcus, much to Abby’s pleasure, usually worked on the boat shirtless. His broad shoulders and sculpted chest dusted with dark hair had always been features that would send her heart racing and cheeks flushing.

Abby felt Marcus’s fingers tighten around hers, filling her chest with dread. She swallowed, then “Marcus, what happened during those years when you left Australia?”

Marcus tore his gaze away from hers, dark eyes dropping to his lap. “Abby, we spoke about this. You know I can’t disclose what work I did or who I worked for-“

“Marcus, please,” Abby angled her head to the side so she was facing him, her eyes pleading with his. “I need to know. I won’t tell anyone, and whatever you have to say, I can handle it. You can trust me.”

Marcus stared at her, silent for a while. Then the corner of his mouth tugged into the tiniest of smiles. “I know I can. But you have to trust me when I say that it’s in everyone’s best interests for you not to know.”

Abby pursed her lips, drawing back a little bit. Then, “If it was concerning, if you were in any sort of trouble, you would tell me, right?”

Marcus bowed his head in a nod. “Of course.”

Abby let out a long, built up breath than nodded. For now, that was good enough for her.

They stayed like that for a while, watching the sun set, occasionally chatting, taking comfort in the peace and each other’s company and the liberating thought that they had nowhere else to be.

Abby had phoned a very worried Clarke, apologising profusely for the way she had suddenly left, and explained where she was. To her surprise, Clarke had laughed, happy that she had found Marcus and that she had left the house rather than stayed with her grumpy fiancée.

Then again, her daughter had never approved of Jaha.

Clarke had explained that she would sleep over at her friend’s house then, not wanting to be home alone, and that Thelonious had already left for the dinner party, guilty over the fight he and Abby had. Clarke had said that she would let Thelonious know that Abby was fine, and like Abby, was sure that this would all blow over by tomorrow.

But best of all, this meant that Abby had the rest of her evening free.

“Do you want another beer?”

Marcus was collecting both of their empty beer bottles. Abby stared at Marcus closely and smiled.

“Are you sure? You know how tipsy I get on my third drink.”

Marcus breathed out a chuckle. “So I recall. But we’re out in the open sea, with nobody but me to witness your drunken antics. And believe me when I say that I think I’ve seen them all.”

Abby laughed then nodded. “What the hell, I haven’t been sufficiently drunk in years.”

Marcus slipped back onto the bow of the yacht to collect the beers and then returned with the coronas, dropping down next to her.

A playful smile crept on Abby’s lips as she accepted her beverage. “You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re trying to get me drunk on purpose.”

Marcus raised his eyebrows at her and took a swing of beer. “Oh? And what purpose would that serve?”

Abby lifted her shoulder up in an innocent shrug and sipped her beer, but the suggestive twinkle in her eyes and the smirk crawling on her lips said something else entirely.

Marcus’s lips twitched into a smirk of his own. “You know, I don’t need alcohol to seduce a woman.”

Abby lifted an eyebrow, fire dancing in her eyes. “Then how exactly would you entice a woman into your bed? The Marcus Kane I remember was never very charming.”

They were playing with fire, and she knew it. The way her gaze flickered to his lips, or the desire that was so clearly fuming in his eyes... She could feel the chemistry burning thick between them and erupting in the air.

And if she wasn’t careful, someone would get burned.

At her question, Marcus turned his whole body around so he was facing her, his hand resting on the deck to support his weight and his legs curling to the side. Abby’s breath jumped in her chest when he leaned closer towards her, so close that she could smell the salt and ocean radiating from him, feel the sparks flying from his body towards hers, count every strand of damp hair that fell deliciously over his eye, hear his heart pounding in his chest, _or maybe that was the blood rushing in her ears?_

His tone was deep and smoky as he spoke slowly, “Well for starters, I would walk her home after our date. I would hold her hand,” as Marcus spoke, he reached for Abby’s hand, sending her heart sprinting once more. He brushed his thumb over her knuckles, sending pleasant tingles up her arm.  “Then I would walk her to her door and ask if I can kiss her.”

 _This was wrong. Very, very wrong._ The complete and utter effect Marcus was having on her now. The way he seemed to be gradually closing the space between them, the way he breathed out the words so close to her, each word a kiss of breath to her jaw, the clear desire dripping in his tone. _The way he was looking at her._

As if his eyes would devour hers with one look.

Yet Abby couldn’t drag herself away.  

“The kiss will be slow, sensual, leaving us both out of breath.” Marcus tucked a hair behind Abby’s ear, making her shiver. Smirking, he ran his thumb over her lips, before trailing his fingers down her jaw and the slope of her neck, murmuring, “Then I’ll trace patterns down her neck and collarbone. Although I won’t be using my fingers.”

Abby was well and truly breathless now. Her eyes flickered to his _oh so tempting_ lips, wondering just how soft and tender they would feel against her lips, down her neck, her breasts, all over her body…

Marcus smirked and suddenly pulled away, shattering the tension. Abby startled, realising just how shallow and heavy her breathing was. She cleared her throat as her heart rate returned back to normal. “Well, you seem overly confident that this lady will be so quick to kiss you.”

Marcus took a sip from his beer than flashed her a cocky grin. “Oh, after our magical date, she’ll be _begging_ me to kiss her.”

Abby snorted.

“Besides,” Marcus continued, gesturing to the luxurious yacht. “What girl could resist a man who owns this?”

Abby repressed a laugh. “Oh I see now. That was why you purchased the yacht, not to run your own business, but to seduce women when your own charms, or lack thereof, fail.”

“Of course not.” He cast her a charming smile, then “Taking beautiful women out to the reef is just a bonus.”

Abby lowered her eyes down, fighting a blush that crept onto her cheeks from his lingering gaze. She reached for her beer and took a sip, distracting her mind and fingers with the fray cotton hanging from the ends of her (Marcus’s) shirt.

She cleared her throat and said, “It’s getting late. Maybe we should start to head back soon.”

Marcus nodded, downing down the rest of his beer. “But before we do, I want to show you one more thing. It’s only ten minutes out north, but the spot gives you the best view of the sunset.”

Abby chewed her lower lip. She knew she should get home, was worried that if she didn’t now she would do something she would regret. She could still feel her wedding ring burning on her finger.

But the sunset was gorgeous, and she couldn’t imagine coming back out here again to see it. Besides, she was having the most fun she’s had in years, and she really didn’t want this evening to end.  

So Abby lifted her head back up and smiled, nodding. She took another swing of her beer and said, “But only if I get to steer.”

It had been a while since she had run a boat, but she had done it so many times with Jake that she was sure that it would be second nature to her, like riding a bike.

Marcus however looked unsure about the idea. His eyes flickered to her then to her beer, asking “Are you sure that’s safe?”

“Well, I haven’t finished my third drink yet, so I think I’ll be fine. Besides, you said that it’s only ten minutes out right?”

It didn’t take Abby long to convince Marcus to let her run the boat. Grinning, she stood up and walked around to the back of the boat – telling herself that the occasional stumble on her way over was due to the rocking boat and _not_ the alcohol clouding her head – and to the wheel. Marcus followed her, a little concerned, watching her from a safe distance.

“So, are you sure you remember how to start a boat?”

Abby nodded, her eyes running over the ignition and wheel. _She had this._ Slowly, she turned the key, and the boat roared to life. Abby’s hands steadied on the wheel as she began to drive.

To Marcus’s surprise, Abby was doing a fine job. Fortunately, he was right next to her, directing her where to go, quick to jump in and adjust Abby’s hands on the wheel if he needed too.

After a while, Marcus said, “We’re almost there.”

He went over to throw the anchor out and secure the boat in place. As he was finishing tying up the rope around the bow, the boat jolted, almost knocking them both to the ground. Marcus shot up and ran over to Abby, his hands steadying the wheel from behind.

“You alright?”

Abby nodded. She was a little too aware of how close Marcus was standing behind her, his chest almost pressed behind her back, his fingers wrapped around her hands on the wheel. Slowly, his hands guided hers, helping her to steer the wheel. They were close, _intimately close,_ that Abby found it hard to breathe, let alone concentrate on parking the boat.

“There,” Marcus whispered into her ear when the boat was secure. But he didn’t walk away. Instead he tilted his head out towards the horizon and said, “See? Wasn’t the view worth it?”

Abby lifted her head up, her chest heaving in a sharp gasp at the sight. _It was like fire dancing in the sky._ The blazing sun exploded behind the island horizon, washing the sky in its fiery streaks. Lilac, pink and softer shades of tangerine orange swirled in the sky too, staining the blankets of cotton candy clouds in their colours.

Abby was lost for words. “It’s so beautiful.”

“Yes,” Marcus murmured, never taking his eyes off her. “Stunning.”

Abby let out a content sigh. She relished in the touch of his hand, his thumb trailing over her knuckles. He released her hands, fingers trailing down her arms and stirring goose bumps over her skin.

Abby dropped her hands from the wheel and his hands fell too, slowly running down her sides, drawing another content sigh from her chest. Abby leaned back into his touch, encouraging him further. So Marcus closed the space between them, chest now pressed against her back, radiating body heat all over her.

They were close. _Dangerously close._ But Abby couldn’t stop the shudder licking her spine when she felt his fingers curl into her waist, or lean back just a little more into his touch, wanting him close, skin to skin, for his body to cover hers completely.

“Marcus,” Abby breathed, hoping to wake them both out of their trance and stop his movements.

Marcus dipped his head down, delicate fingers sweeping her hair away from her neck. His lips brushed against her neck as he murmured, “Yes?”

Abby inhaled sharply under his touch, swallowing the lump in her throat. She had to say something, had to tell him to stop, _had to make him stop-oh…_

Marcus was peppering kisses along her neck, long, slow kisses, teeth dragging over her skin towards her shoulder. Abby’s breaths were growing shallower with each of his kisses…

 “ _Marcus,”_ Abby breathed again, trying to sound stern. But her head was tilting to the side to grant him further access, her eyes fluttering shut. “We can’t-“

Her voice dissolved into a moan when she felt his lips sucking the tender spot behind her ear. His fingers began running up and down her sides, her body softening more and more into his touch.  

“Marcus, we really can’t…”

“Then tell me to stop,” he breathed into her hair, before nibbling the curve of her ear.

Abby parted her lips to do just that, but the words died on her tongue when she felt him kissing her neck again, dissolving all of her thoughts to mush. So Abby turned around instead, hoping to cast him a warning glare to make him stop, but all hopes of that died when she saw the desire blazing in his eyes. She stared at him for a heartbeat, momentarily lost in the pure desire consuming his features, pulling her in and swallowing her whole.

Abby’s lips fell open as she closed the space between them, capturing his lips in hers.

_The kiss was everything she had imagined._

He kissed her as if it would be their last, with so much passion and intensity, as if he was trying to prove to her just how much he loved her. And when he pulled back for air, his forehead met hers, their nose just brushing each other as they went to catch their breath.

Marcus gently cupped her cheek, breathing, “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that for.”

Abby closed her eyes, desperately trying to push the flood of guilt rising within her, sure that it would drown her. “Marcus, don’t. Just…just kiss me again.”

So Marcus’s mouth went to devour hers. Abby returned his kiss with equal passion, fingers tangling through his hair and pulling him towards her. Their bodies pressed together, his hands steady on her waist as he pushed her up against the wheel. Abby’s lips parted and closed to keep up with his kisses, her tongue running across his lower lip and slipping inside, dancing with his.

Abby moaned into his mouth when she felt his hands squeezing her arse, pressing her hips further up to meet his. Abby’s hands ran down his chest, feeling his muscles tense and contract under her fingers, her hips grinding up against his.

Marcus broke the kiss once more, his tone hoarse and heavy as he murmured, “Not here.”

Abby nodded breathlessly then tugged at his hair, dragging his lips back to hers. Her hands trailed down to steady on his shoulders, as she maneuverer around, encouraging him to walk with her. With their lips never breaking Marcus and Abby managed to stumble down the first few steps to the dip of the boat, his hands breaking away from his waist to open the door.

They stumbled inside and passed the bar, losing Abby’s shirt in the process. The boat rocked and they toppled back, bodies crashing together and falling against the wall.

Abby laughed as Marcus fell against her, his hands landing on the wall either side of her, breaking the fall. Marcus chuckled too, his eyes melting warm onto hers, making her heart flutter furiously.

“God I’ve wanted to do this for years,” he whispered.

And despite the guilt torturing her heart, Abby felt desire stir in her stomach when she met his darkened eyes, wanting nothing more than to kiss his smirk away. So she pushed the guilt away and whispered throatily, “Well now that you have me, what are you going to do with me?”

Marcus growled as he pushed her up against the wall and captured her lips in his. Their kiss was rougher than before, _hungry,_ his teeth biting and sucking her lips raw, drawing primal noises form her throat that Abby had never heard before. His body pinned her against the wall as his hands sculpted their way down her curves and up the backs of her thighs, lifting her up against the wall and pulling her hips towards his.

Abby laughed into his mouth as she quickly wrapped her legs around his, her arms entangling around his neck. She continued to kiss him again, and again, and again as he carried her back to his bedroom, her lips only leaving his when he went to lower her onto his bed. Abby shuffled further back onto the mattress as Marcus crawled next to her, his lips claiming hers once more.

Abby pulled him closer towards her to deepen the kiss, gradually pushing his body onto the mattress. She crawled on top of him, straddling his waist. Abby broke their kiss, her hands sweeping his waves of dark hair away from his face so she could take him in. His warm eyes that made her heart melt when she saw just how much love they held, to the lopsided, dizzy smile playing on his lips.

_He was beautiful._

“Hi,” Abby whispered, a giddy smile dancing on her lips.

His entire features lit up as he whispered back, “Hi.”

Then Abby kissed him again, this kiss more gentle and tender than the ones before, carrying less heat, but conveying so much love all the same. She laughed into his mouth when his hands ran down her back to tickle her ribs, making her squirm above him. Marcus grinned into her lips and tickled her again, making her laugh so much that she broke their kiss. Scrunching up her nose at his grin, Abby dipped her head down to playfully nip at his lower lip, grinning as he squeezed her arse in response.

Marcus didn’t know why he loved that she was so ticklish, why he wanted to store that bit of information into his mind, as if there would be another time for them to be together for him to use that knowledge again. Just like how Abby scrunched her nose every time he mocked her, or moaned when he nibbled a spot behind her ear, or her fondness for playing with his hair…new bits of information about Abby that Marcus was learning about her and locking away for later, finding more and more things to love about her.

It wasn’t long before their kisses grew more intense once more. Abby slowly grinded her hips against his, feeling him grow harder and harder against her, making her thighs pool with desire. Her fingers trailed down his chest and to his shorts, but Marcus quickly caught her hands, sitting up.

He kissed her softly and whispered, “Oh no, I want to take my time with you.”

Then he gripped her waist and rolled Abby onto her back, taking her by surprise. Smirking, Marcus straddled her waist and kissed her once more, his hands undoing her bra and helping her out of it.

Being with Marcus was nothing like being with Jaha. Marcus was gentle, tender, _loving._ He kissed her slowly, as if his lips wanted to savour her taste. He didn’t bite or bruise his way down her body, but _worshipped her._ His mouth ghosted down her throat, sucked at the hollow of her neck and lavished her breasts.

Marcus was becoming familiar with her body, with every inch of her skin. _He was learning._ Learning what noises he could draw from her throat, constantly adjusting his touch or pressure to make her mewl. Learning the melting moans she made when his teeth dragged over her neck, the way her chest would arch up when he squeezed her breast or wrapped his lips around her nipple, or the sharp, encouraging cries of his name that tore from her throat as he slipped his hand between her thighs, stroking her with just a bit of pressure.

Marcus touched and kissed and teased her with so much love and passion, only wanting to make her feel good, wanting to watch her slowly come undone beneath him.

“ _Marcus,”_ Abby moaned as his hand increased its pace between her thighs, her hips rising up to meet his fingers.

Smirking, Marcus dipped his head down and kissed her once more, swallowing her moans. Then his lips ventured south, dropping kisses down her neck and chest and abdomen, before reaching her panties. Seeking her eyes for confirmation, which darkened with pleasure as she saw what Marcus was about to do, Marcus tugged down underwear down and helped her slip them off.

Then he placed a few kisses down her inner thigh, dark stubble scratching her sensitive skin pleasurably, before he buried his mouth between her thighs.

_His mouth was amazing._

He was kissing her softly at first, before his lips parted further, taking more of her in. And as Abby’s hips rose up to meet his mouth, her fingers tangling through his hair and guiding him deeper inside her as she gasped out his name, Marcus increased his pace, tongue coming out to stroke her and dart inside her, his mouth sucking her and swallowing her whole.

Abby hadn’t had someone go down on her in years, not since her early years with Jake. It wasn’t that Thelonious wouldn’t do that for her, but only that Abby knew he would do so with the belief that she would return the favour equally. Sex with Thelonious sometimes felt like an economic exchange, his kiss, his touch, everything he did always coming with the intent that she would return the favour with equal passion and satiate his desires too.

But Marcus ate her out completely, with his only desires being to make her come into his mouth.

And as his mouth brought her higher and higher and higher, Abby’s throat almost dry as she continued to cry, _“Marcus, I’m so close…please…please Marcus-“_ she came with his name falling from her lips, thighs locking around  his head as her orgasm rippled throughout her.

Marcus swallowed her juices, before slowly kissing his way back up her body, giving her a chance to catch her breath before his mouth consumed hers. Abby kissed him with a new intensity, lips tearing through his impatiently, and tasting her salty ocean taste on his tongue only made her want him more.

So when Abby’s fingers went to the waistband of his shorts this time, he didn’t protest, but helped her tug the material off.

Marcus took her in slowly, bit by bit, drawing a long, strangled moan from her throat, until he was buried inside her.  He moved inside her slowly, hips rising and falling, gradually stretching her walls, letting her take more and more of him in each time. Abby’s nails scratched down his back, her legs wrapping around his waist as she cried out, encouraging him to go deeper, _faster._

So Marcus obliged.

And as their bodies moved together and melted as one, hands intertwined together above her head and faces shattering with pure pleasure as they chased each other over the edge, Abby knew that this wasn’t just sex.

It was so much more tender and _loving_ to be just that.

It was two bodies learning from each other, skin to skin, reacquainting themselves with each other, _loving each other._ During this moment with Marcus, she felt more love than she ever felt over her years with Thelonious.

Marcus dropped kisses down Abby’s hair, her brow and her shoulder as she came back down, thinking that she had never looked so breathtakingly beautiful before. Still catching his breath, Marcus rolled off of her and onto his side. He rested his head on his hand so his elbow supported his weight.

Abby too rolled over, a dizzying smile gracing her lips. She stared at Marcus with so much warmth and love, but the saddest of smiles tugged the corner of her lips as reality dawned in her eyes.

“Marcus, what have we done?”

Marcus’s eyes drifted to the gold ring on her finger. It had always been a ring keeping Marcus away from Abby. A decade ago it was a simpler silver sterling ring on her finger. Five years ago it was the same ring, but this time tied around her neck. Now, it was a gold one, always winking mockingly in the light.

His replied quietly, “Don’t tell me you have any regrets.”

Abby shook her head. “Of course not. Marcus, that was amazing, _incredible.”_ She saw the light bloom in his eyes at her response, and continued softly, “But it was wrong.”

Something plummeted inside of him. He turned his head away from hers, whispering, “You don’t think I know that? You don’t think I feel like a monster for sleeping with an engaged woman, sleeping with one of my old friend’s _fiancée?”_

Abby swallowed, watching the hurt darken his eyes, her chest tightening at the sight. She reached for his face, trying to bring him to her. “Marcus, you’re not a monster. I did this too.” She paused, staring at carefully. “Why did you do it? Why did you kiss me back their on the boat, knowing that this would be wrong, that nothing good could come from this?”

“Because I’m crazy about you,” he said it immediately, with so much passion and intensity, completely taking her off guard.  Marcus drew out a long breath, his eyes returning to hers as he said quietly, “Abby, my feelings for you have never changed. Not when I left the country, not when you started dating Jaha, and not even when you left the State and cut me out of your life.”

Abby’s breath caught in her throat, tears biting back behind her eyes. “Marcus, don’t. You-you can’t tell me this now. You can’t _do this to me now.”_

“Why not?”

Abby shook her head and sat up, turning her body away from him, unable to look at him because doing so would break something inside her.

Marcus reached out for her with a reassuring hand. “Look Abby, I know this changes nothing, and I don’t expect you to return any of my feelings-“

“That’s not it,” Abby said tearfully, turning back around to face him. “That’s not it at all.”

Marcus frowned, clearly confused. “Then what is it?”

Abby shook her head incredulously, smiling sadly through her tears. “Because you idiot, I would have chosen you. Don’t you see? _I would have chosen you._ I would have waited for you if I knew you would have- I wouldn’t have left-“

“Abby, stop.” Marcus squeezed her arm, silencing her. “You made the right decision. You did what was best for yourself and for Clarke.”

But Abby continued to shake her head slowly. “I said yes to Thelonious because I was lonely. He was a good man, and I was lonely, and Clarke needed a father. And it made sense; Thelonious and I were friends, we both worked together, he had cared for me and Clarke for as long as I could remember…But most of all, he was there, and you were away…”

Abby stopped, lifting her eyes up to meet his. “Marcus, you were away for two years. _Two years_ and you didn’t send us any word to let us know if you were okay. I didn’t know what to think. For all I knew you were dead. And it was killing me not knowing, not having you with me, and it was killing Clarke watching me like this too. So I said yes to Thelonious, because he was there, and he promised me that we could start again. So I agreed to move to Canberra with him to help both of our careers, to give Clarke a better chance at attending a better school, to leave the memories of Jake and you behind and start again. Because when you returned after all those years, it just wasn’t the same.  Watching you and being with you, but knowing that I had said yes to someone else, it was killing me. _But if I had known_ that you had felt this way all along…” Abby broke off, letting her words hang in the air, her message long conveyed.

Marcus’s eyes softened as he released her hands. “Abby, I had no idea when I left that you felt like this. But I tried to return, _I tried to come back to you._ ”

Abby cast him another sad smile. “And you did. But you were too late.”

Her eyes softened onto his, then “You asked me why I packed up and left only months after you returned. I said I left because Thelonious and I found better careers in Canberra, which was true. But Marcus, I left because it hurt to see you. It hurt to think about what could have been if I had waited, but _knowing_ that nothing could happen between us because I said yes to another man. I cut off contact with you because I thought it would be easier than keeping our friendship with the reminder that I’ll never know if we could have been happy together. And I will still so _mad_ at you that you had left all those years ago without a word, and I guess I wanted you to feel some of that pain too.”

Abby stopped, her eyes flickering down as she remembered. “I wanted you to miss me like I had missed you; I wanted you to hurt like I did when you left all those years ago too. You promised me when Jake died that you would always be by my side, that we would make it through, together. And then you left.”

Abby dropped her eyes onto her lap, the tears spilling out. She felt Marcus’s strong arms envelop her into her hug and she gradually softened into his arms, returning his embrace.

“I’m so sorry Abby,” Marcus murmured into her hair. “I didn’t know. If I had known all those years-“

“I know,” Abby said, silencing him. She lifted her head up and released him, attempting a shaky smile. “If we could go back all those years ago, things may have been different.”

Abby leant back against the bed wall, letting the silence linger for a moment, then “I wish things were different, but it doesn’t matter anyway. Knowing this doesn’t change anything,..”

Marcus turned to face her, tucking a curl of her hair caught on her wet cheeks back behind her ear. “I disagree. I think it changes everything. Knowing that I had a chance with you all those years ago, that I wasn’t just living on empty hope, makes me all that happier that I kissed you tonight.”

Abby turned to face him, her lips tugging into a small smile. “But it doesn’t change anything. I’m still engaged, and I’m still going to marry Thelonious.”

Marcus returned her sad smile with one of his own. “Then I’m just glad that I got to have this night with you then.”

Abby’s heart melted at his words, her eyes softening.

“So come tomorrow morning,” Marcus continued. “You’ll leave this boat, and we’ll continue on with our lives as if this night ever happened?”

Abby nodded. “I think that’s best.”

“Then the way I see it,” Marcus began slowly, his tone lighter than before. “It’s still night, and we’re still on the boat…”

Abby raised her eyebrows at his suggestive tone, an amused smile crawling onto her lips. “Meaning?”

“Meaning,” Marcus breathed into her ear, his hand slipping into the sheets and sliding between her thighs. “That we don’t need to return back to our lives yet, and that we have a free pass tonight, should you wish to take it.”

Abby moaned when she felt his hands stroking her, already so wet for him. She knew she should say no, the answer was burning at the back of her mind. And yet she couldn’t resist him, especially with the memory of just how magical their time was together hot in her mind, and not wanting that moment to be their last.

“Well,” Abby said breathlessly, her hips already rising up to meet his fingers. “The logic makes sense, and if we’re never going to do this again once I leave the boat-“

Abby laughed as Marcus silenced her with his lips. The two quickly dived back under the covers, losing themselves to each other once more.

They made love to each other again, and again, and again, continuing until they were physically drained and dizzy, all the while the reminder that tonight would be the only night they’d have together playing in the back of their minds, pushing them to make this night last.

And as Abby drifted off to sleep, snuggled close to Marcus’s body, his arm wrapped protectively around her, her thoughts as it had been doing all day, drifted off to the writing on his boat. ‘ _Apikaira’._ It sounded just as familiar in her mind as it had every other time she thought of the word, but she was still no closer to working out what it meant.

Abby wanted to ask Marcus what it meant, but as soon as she thought of what she was going to say, she fell asleep, out so fast before she could think _Apikaira._

…

It was only when she was standing safely back on the docks, hugging Marcus once more and exchanging her soft smiles and ‘ _goodbyes,’_ did Marcus whisper his goodbye to her in his Father’s native tongue.

It was a common phrase they all shared in his culture, and one of the few phrases he had taught Abby in that language.

 _“_ _Ai tatou te whakatau ano.”_  

_May we meet again._

Abby glanced up at the gold writing on the yacht as she watched it sail away, Marcus’s parting words still lingering in her head. She murmured the foreign word on the boat, Marcus’s Father’s native language rolling off her tongue. And as the words clicked together in her head, she felt her chest tighten when the memory finally fell in place.  

_'Apikaira.’_

___Abigail._

…    

  


  


  



	2. Marcus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was a biggie but I hope you enjoy.

_A hot shower…_

That was the first thought that passed Abby’s mind as she stumbled up the driveway, the black straps of her heels swinging in her fingers.

_A steaming hot shower and a warm bed…_

Abby rolled back her shoulders once more and tilted her head back with a wince, trying to ease the knots in her muscles. She was exhausted and a little sore from the long walk back home and uncomfortable position she fell asleep in, legs tangled in Marcus’s and his arm trapped under her ribs (not that she was complaining).  

Abby smelt like the ocean, and knew she looked a mess too with her sandy honey brown curls freshly attacked by the ocean breeze, and her wrinkled blouse.

So the last thing Abby wanted to come home too was a living room full of men; men dressed in fine, tailored suits and sitting on her couch, laughing, chatting, spreading grubby fingerprints on her coffee table and drinking Thelonious’s black labelled scotch in Thelonious’s new set of crystal glasses. He had been saving those delicate glasses for a special occasion, so special that Abby was sure that he wouldn’t even take them out for their own wedding day.

Abby stood still at the foot of her living room, lips parted as if she was just about to speak but lost the words, features stunned into a look of bafflement. Her wide eyes shifted between the strangers, searching for a familiar face, waiting for someone to acknowledge her. When no one did, Abby placed a hand on her hip, her heels dropping onto the ground as she did so. She cleared her throat to demand an explanation when,

“ _Abby?”_

Abby spun around to her fiancé who was standing behind her, mobile phone in his hand, jaw dropped and wide eyes running down her frame.

Thelonious swallowed, taking a few seconds to recover from his shock. He finally said, “So you’re finally back.”

Abby did not look impressed. “Do you care to tell me what the hell is going on?”

Casting a tensed glance at his guests to make sure they weren’t watching the commotion, Thelonious grabbed Abby’s wrists and pulled her into the hallway.

 “ _Me_?” Thelonious finally hissed when they were alone. “What about you? Where the hell were you? You stormed out of the house yesterday morning and you’re only returning _now_? You didn’t answer any of my calls, didn’t message me to let you know where you were or if you were safe -“he stopped, expanding eyes taking in her sandy clothes and salty scented hair. “Did you go swimming in the ocean?”

 “Thelonious, I was perfectly fine,” Abby interrupted him sternly, snatching her wrist away from his grip. Ignoring his question entirely, she continued, “I’m not a child, and I won’t stand here and be lectured like one. We argued, I was upset and I needed some time to think, _alone, w_ ithout your incessant phone calls.”

Thelonious’s eyes hardened with irritation. He waited a beat, then “Clarke told me that you were with Marcus.”

Her heart skipped a precious beat. Blurry flashed of last night flooded her mind. She tilted her head up, steady eyes holding his. “Yes, I crashed into him yesterday. We’re old friends and I wanted to catch up with him. So?”

“So you only came back this morning. You were with him all night then?”

Abby tensed, then “Yes, I was.” She rolled her eyes, hoping to shatter his suspicion. She tried to avoid his skin-prickling glare as she continued, “Marcus took me out on his boat to see the islands again. I was going to be back by the afternoon, but unfortunately we had an accident in the middle of the sea and our mobile phones lost connection. We were forced to wait until the morning for passer-by’s to come by and help tow us back to the mainland.”

Thelonious’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What sort of accident was this?”

Abby’s heart sprinted once more, mind swimming with excuses. Deciding to push them firmly aside, she folded her arms instead, eyes locking onto his. “Thelonious, as much as I enjoy playing twenty questions with you I just got home, I’m exhausted and all I want to do is shower. So can we save the interrogation for later?”

She didn’t miss the flinch cutting past his features, even as he quickly turned his face away. Abby was being cold towards him, _sharp,_ doing all she could to shift his attention and suspicion away from her. But her words had hurt him this time, and she couldn’t stop the guilt from wriggling inside her and gnawing its way into her heart.

It wasn’t his fault. If anyone should feel ashamed right now it was her. Abby Griffin. Abby who cheated on her partner, Abby who was lying to him now. And worst of all?

She didn’t have any regrets.

Thelonious had every right to be suspicious, and as always, was only ever concerned about her.

So Abby’s eyes softened and she reached out for him, resting her hand on his shoulder to catch his attention before sliding her hand back down to her side. “I’m sorry, I’m just tired. I know you’re worried, but you have to trust me when I say that I’m fine, and I can take care of myself.”

Thelonious’s eyes lingered on hers, softening with affection. “I know,” he replied quietly. He reached for her hand, his thumb running over her knuckles, lingering on her engagement ring. He stepped forward to close the space between them, speaking softly, “And I’m sorry about our fight yesterday. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. I was just so…so frustrated. I know you didn’t want to attend that party, but I needed you by my side that night.”

“I know. And I’m sorry…I’m sorry for running away like that.” She stopped and attempted a small smile. “So from now on, we’ll try and be civil and talk through these things? No more screaming or running away?”

Thelonious mirrored her smile. “I’d like that.”

So Abby pushed down the rising tide of guilt in her chest and last night’s memories to the back of her mind, and squeezed her fiancée’s hand. Finally, they could discuss what the hell was happening in their living room. “So, do you want to tell me what’s going on then?”

Thelonious hesitated. “I think it should wait until you shower and freshen up first.”

Abby’s eyes flashed. “ _Thelonious-“_

“I don’t want you to overreact -“

“I won’t if you just tell me. Who are these people?”

Thelonious took a steady breath, then “I was going to explain all of this to you yesterday before you ran off. These are the city councillors from our town’s local electorates. Abby, they’ve chosen to endorse me. I’m running for Mayor.”

The news almost knocked the breath out of her. She blinked a few times, heart drumming in her ears, brain trying to make sense of this information yet struggling to keep her feet planted firmly on the ground. “W-what? Mayor?” She searched his face with stunned eyes, as if looking for a glimmer of amusement, a hint of humour twitching the corner of his lips, _something_ to reassure her that this was all a joke.

“Mr. Jaha, sir? They’re waiting for you outside.”

Abby whirled around to see a woman with long dark hair that swished down her back and a pencil dress as deep red as her crimson painted lips. She clasped her fingers neatly together, blinking, waiting for Jaha to respond.

 “ _Who the hell is this?_ ” Abby asked, irritation lacing her tone.

Jaha ran his hand down his weary face, closing his eyes for a few seconds. “Alison, could you please give us a moment? Tell them I’ll be out shortly.”

The woman known as Alison bowed her head down in a nod and walked away. Thelonious turned back around to Abby, explaining, “Alie’s my assistant and campaign manager too.”

Abby huffed out an incredulous laugh, shaking her head slowly in disbelief. “How is any of this possible?” She paused, searching his eyes with bafflement. “Thelonious, you don’t even have a seat on the City Council, _you haven’t even lived_ in this town for years.”

“But the people still remember me,” Thelonious reminded her quickly. “They still remember me as the surgeon of this city, and as their former councilmen that served this community well too. Abby, the people haven’t been happy with Mayor Sydney, especially since the public found out about the generous pay rise she gave herself and her colleagues, _after_ cutting student and pensioners’ public transportation subsidies. She’s lost the support of her party, who are looking to nominate someone else, someone the people know and trust. Someone with a vision.”

Abby snorted. “And they think that person is you?”

“Yes, they do. They made contact with me last year to discuss this position and their support for me if I was to move back here and run. They remember that I was once on the Council before-”

“Yes, until you lost your seat to Jake.” Abby stopped, swallowing back the balls of grief that filled her throat whenever she spoke of her dead husband.

Thelonious tensed as he often did when she mentioned Jake. Jake, who was his best friend, yet had won Abby’s heart so quickly and easily. Jake Griffin, who had married the woman he had spent almost a lifetime chasing. Jake Griffin, who died and took Abby’s heart with him.

Thelonious spoke carefully, “Jake and I always had similar views for what we wanted for this town. But Jake had a way with the people that I never did.”

“You’re wrong,” Abby said suddenly, lifting her eyes up to meet his. “You and Jake did not always see eye to eye. Actually, you disagreed on a few things. Supporting the funding cuts for the 100 project for example, crucial homeless services needed for this city’s rising homeless population.”

Jaha took a steady breath. He sensed the bitterness in her tone and remembered clearly just how much Jake and Abby had valiantly fought against his idea. He didn’t want to venture back down to their history again. Instead he said, “Abby, the party believes that I can do this. _I know I can do this._ I know I can change this town for the better if they just give me the chance. But I need to know that you’ll be here, by my side to support me.” He paused to squeeze her hand, eyes softening with hope. “Abby, I need you now more than ever. Not just as my partner, but as my friend.”

His words were heart-felt, genuine, yet they rolled off of Abby like water, because she couldn’t get her mind past what he had said before. She was wincing, eyes studying his face when it finally clicked.

“You didn’t move us back here for some position as director of the hospital board, did you?” Abby spoke slowly, fury gradually consuming her features and rising in her tone. “You came back so you could run for Mayor _. You lied to me._ You brought me and Clarke back here under the belief that you had a secure, high paying career to go too-“

“It is-“

“But you didn’t. Instead you returned to run for Mayor, with _a very slim_ chance that you’ll actually win a seat here let alone-“

“Abby-“

 “These people came to you, a year ago, offering you this position and you accepted. You flew out of Canberra for what I thought were business trips, but now I know you were just flying out to meet these people.” She cast him a disgusted look. “ _You lied to me_.”

Thelonious quickly reached for her shoulders, trying to bring her back to him, gripping them tighter when he felt her resist him. “Abby, I didn’t tell you because I knew that you would react like this.”

“Well maybe if you had tried to consult me then,” Abby shook him off, fury blazing in her eyes, “Rather than dragging us back here and only telling me now, than I would have been more supportive. Thelonious, we’re engaged. _I’m going to be your wife._ The very least you can do is trust me.”

 “You’re right Abby. I’m sorry, I should have told you. I was just worried that you wouldn’t approve. But can you understand why I need to do this? I’ve wanted to get back onto the Council for years, I’m good at the job, and I know I can change this town.”

Abby gave him a long, hard stare. She was still angry, _infuriated._ Maybe he was right, she was his partner and maybe she should be supporting him right now, and not strangling him with her eyes. Yet Abby couldn’t bring herself to speak at him.

Fortunately for her, her phone vibrated to life. Abby quickly reached for the phone, eyes blooming with surprise when she glanced at the screen. “It’s Clarke, I have to take this.”

Without waiting for him to utter a response, she turned on her heel swiftly headed up the stairs, a smile gracing her lips as it always did when she thought of her daughter.

Abby walked into her bedroom and let all of her anger at their previous argument blow away behind her as she accepted the call. “Hi baby. Where are you?”

“Hey Mom, I’m just at a cafe.”

Abby frowned. “I thought you were staying home today?”

“Well, Thelonious has his friends over, and I did not want to stick around entertaining his guests. Do you know that he wants to run in the election this year?”

Abby took a steady breath, features tightening. “Yes, I heard.”

“ _It’s ridiculous._ Mom, surely you think it’s insane? We flew all the way back from Canberra-“

“Clarke, I know,” Abby cut her daughter off firmly, flopping down onto her bed. Cradling the phone against her ear she slipped off her shoulder bag. “Believe me, I know.”

She heard her daughter sigh on the other end. “Don’t tell me that you’re still going to marry him after he lied to us.”

Abby repressed a heavy sigh. For a fourteen year old girl, Clarke sure acted a hell of a lot older for her age. “Clarke, we’ve been through this. Thelonious is a good man, I’m marrying him-“

“Right, a good man. And a liar too.”

“ _Clarke-“_

“I know, I know.” Clarke cut her off with a heavy tone. Abby sensed that Clarke was weary with the thought of venturing down that overdone and dry conversation again. “Anyway, onto my purpose of calling. I was coming down to meet Octavia for coffee, and guess who I crashed into?”

Abby raised her eyebrows. “Who?”

She could imagine Clarke grinning as she replied, “ _Guess.”_

Abby didn’t need to guess though. By the light tone in her daughter’s voice, she knew that it could only be one person. “You crashed into Marcus?”

“Yep. And it sounds like he was _very_ happy to see you last night.”

Abby shook her head slowly, stifling an incredulous laugh. This had always been a small town.

“So,” Clarke continued with a playful tone. “I gathered you spent the night on his boat, which looks incredible by the way. It sounds like you two had a lot of time to catch up then.”

“Yes, we did,” Abby spoke slowly, cautious. “It was nice seeing him again.”

“So, you’re not going to tell me that _nothing_ happened between the two of you then?”

“ _Clarke-“_

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Clarke quickly surrendered at her Mother’s stern tone.

Abby knew that Clarke had always been fond of Marcus. During that brief period when Jake had passed away and before Marcus had left, he had been just like a father to her.

Perhaps Clarke, like Abby did once upon a time, had believed that it would be Marcus Abby would marry one day.

“Anyway,” Clarke continued briskly. “Marcus was busy today so we couldn’t talk much, but he asked me if I wanted to go for a ride on his boat sometime next week. And I was wondering if you wanted to come to.”

Abby frowned. “But I thought you two would want to spend some time together?”

“Of course, but I don’t see why you can’t come. It’ll be nice to spend time with the two of you again, you know? Just like old times.”

Abby’s heart softened at her words. Once again she felt the rise of guilt at the thought that she had broken apart Clarke and Marcus’s relationship when she had disconnected him from her life. The thought of spending the day with the two of them made her chest swell with joy, but then she remembered sleeping with Marcus. She remembered the absolute, uncontrollable desire she had felt for him, surrendering to his touch and her desires so quickly that it terrified her at just how quick she was to betray her fiancée.

“Clarke, I don’t think-“ Abby stopped herself, biting her lip.

_I don’t think that’s a good idea._

“Mom, please?” Her daughter pleaded. “I want to go back down to Hill Inlet, and I know you want to see it again too.”

Abby smiled softly at the memory. “Hill Inlet, the one with the manta rays? Wasn’t that the first time you were out on the boat?”

“Yep. It was the first time I saw the islands and the reef too.” Clarke paused, and Abby heard her tone soften with sentiment as she continued, “Marcus was the one who took me out onto the boat too. He placed me on his shoulders and let me drive the wheel. Do you remember?”

“Of course I remember,” Abby said softly.

_How could she forget?_

Clarke continued, “It wasn’t just my first time out on the boat, but the first time I fell in love with the islands and oceans and the beauty of this town too. Marcus pointed out every island and land marking and told me every native story behind the sights too. It’s because of him that I fell in love with this place and never wanted to leave.”

Abby smiled, Clarke’s words tugging on her heartstrings.

_Of course it was because of Marcus._

Because Clarke was right; her passion for the reef, for her artwork, for exploring the natural wildlife, was _all_ because of Marcus.

“So will you come then?”

Abby chewed her lip, thinking through her options, her mind and heart at war once more.

“Let me check my schedule and I’ll get back to you,” Abby replied.

But she already knew her answer.

After all, how could she say no?

…

_Nine years earlier…_

Abby picked up her phone on the third ring, her lips curling into a playful grin when she answered, “Hello handsome. I’ve been waiting for you to call.”

Jake Griffin’s voice was deep and husky as he replied, “Sorry I’m late. I had to wait for my wife to leave.”

Abby bit back a bubbly laugh. After fifteen years of their marriage, she loved that being married to Jake never got boring, that they always found some way to spice up their marriage. Since their hectic schedules these past few weeks, they’ve barely had time for each other, so roleplaying over the phone has been their latest pleasure.

“So tell me,” Jake continued on the phone. “How did I get such a sexy, gorgeous woman talking to me today?”

Abby couldn’t stop the laugh from escaping her lips this time. “I’d be careful there,” she said back, her tone dropping. “I don’t think my husband would be very happy to hear this.”

“Well, he sounds like a lucky man.”

“Doctor Abby?”

The quiet voice and gentle tug of her coat caught her attention. Abby covered her mobile’s microphone and turned her attention to little Octavia, concerned eyes finding hers.

Abby brushed Octavia’s long bangs away from her eyes (out of habit perhaps) and smiled kindly. “Hey sweetheart, what’s up?”

“Will we be at the boat soon?”

“Almost Octavia. We just have to wait for your brother to come out of the bathroom.”

Octavia pouted, a sullen look scrunching her features. Clearly, this wasn’t the first time Bellamy Blake had kept her waiting. Abby lowered herself down to her height and rested a gentle hand on her arm, catching the girl’s attention.

“You see that boat out there?” Abby asked, pointing out at the sail boat down near the docks. “That’s the one we’ll be going on.”

Octavia’s lips pulled into a toothy grin. “Do you think we’ll see whales? Or turtles?” Her eyes expanded at another exciting thought. “Do you think we’ll see pirates?”

Abby laughed. “I can’t see why not.”

Abby stood back up and went back to the phone call. “Hey, sorry honey. That was just Octavia.”

“She sounds excited about the trip. How are the rest of the kids holding?”

Abby glanced over her shoulder to the other huddle of kids sitting on the benches outside the Marine bathroom, their chubby legs swinging over the edge the seat.

A couple of them had crutches, one of them was sitting in a wheelchair, some were occasionally coughing into handkerchiefs through excited, bubbly conversation and laughter, others were taking it easy, using slow movements and resting lots like Abby had told them, so as not to trigger a coughing fit.

Others like Harper - always holding a brave face and a cheeky smile - laughed so hard that you couldn’t tell that the girl was in pain ( _and unless on medication she was on a lot of pain. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis)._ Or John Murphy, who was usually quiet and kept to himself, but today was joining in with his other friends, jumping onto the bench and waving his imaginary sword around in the air energetically with Nathan, so much so that Abby was worried that he would be out of breath soon and she’d have to run over and help him cough out a lungful of mucous before he choked on it.

“They’re doing great,” Abby replied, tearing her eyes away from the kids. “They’re very excited, and I’m lucky that Jackson is here to help. I don’t think I could have done this on my own.”

“Well, the kids are lucky to have you as their doctor. Not every doctor would do this for their patients.”

Abby smiled, casting a glance at the kids once more. “Well, it’s the least I can do. A few of these kids are in the long term ward; it’s amazing that I was able to get permission to take them on this trip. And I’m just lucky that Kyle offered to do this for free.”

“God, how did I get so lucky to marry such a talented and generous wife?”

Abby rolled her eyes, sensing his smile through his light tone. “So is Clarke still upset with me?”

“Is she still sulking at home because you wouldn’t take her too? Yep. She’s been dying to go on a boat ever since Raven came over and showed her photos of her trip. Although Clarke seemed happier when I told her that we’ll be purchasing our sailing boat soon.”

Abby smiled at the thought of finally purchasing a boat. She couldn’t wait to take Clarke out to see the sights with Jake, _as a family._

“Abby!”

Abby spun around to see Jackson, who was coming out of the bathroom holding Bellamy’s hand, gesturing to her that they were ready. She waved back to let him know that she understood and returned back to Jake.

“Hey honey, Jackson’s here. We’re just about to go now. I’ll see you tonight.”

They both shared their quick _‘I love yous’_ on the phone before Abby hung up. She spun around back to the kids, a wide smile spreading across her features.

“So who’s ready to go on a boat ride?”

…

Unfortunately, they had barely stepped onto the docks before Abby quickly learned that the boat ride was cancelled.  

_“What do you mean you won’t let them onto the boat?”_

“I’m sorry Miss…”

“ _Griffin._ Abby Griffin,” Abby said through gritted teeth. “Where’s Kyle Wick? He gave me his word that we could have this boat for the morning-“

“Then I’m afraid he was mistaken,” the man cut her off. “Wick’s still in training, and he’s not familiar with our policies. Our insurance will not cover us if anything were to happen to these children.”

Abby wanted to strangle this man. Everything about him was cold. His blank eyes that refused to meet her gaze were like cut pieces of black marble, boring into her skin. His features were expressionless too, hardened so tense lines weighed under his eyes. He had a tight jaw and stone-sharp edges framing his face.

Abby glanced over her shoulder to the group of children huddled behind her, their tired yet excited faces slowly falling when they read her expression.

Swallowing tightly, Abby spun back around to Marcus Kane. _Kane,_ even his name suited his stone-cold demeanour. “If you’re saying that these children can’t come onto a boat _because your insurance doesn’t cover it,_ then you can walk over there and tell them yourself. Tell these children, _these sick children_ who have spent every hour of everyday this week inside that hospital building, that the boat trip they had been looking forward to for weeks is cancelled.” 

Abby glared at him furiously, his silence only fuelling her frustration. She was searching his face, searching for _something,_ some sort of flicker of guilt or compassion, something to show her that he was human.

But she found nothing.

Instead Kane turned his eyes our and replied, “I’m sorry Miss. Griffin for wasting your time. But I’m only following the organisation’s policies on these matters, even if Kyle Wick chose not to. I understand the children’s disappointment, but you must understand the legal and financial repercussions we can face if something were to happen to one of the children under our duty of care-“

“Nothing will happen to them,” Abby cut him off, a fierce love she had for the kids bright in her eyes. “I will be with them. As will Jackson. We’ve prepared for any potential although unlikely accident. Besides, we would only be sailing for an hour, so we wouldn’t be too far from the mainland. _Please_ Kane,” Abby said, her tone softening. “Please don’t do this to them. These kids need this. They deserve better.”

To her surprise, Marcus’s eyes flickered to hers, brown eyes lingering on hers, as if he was hesitating, considering her plea. “I’m sorry Abby.” And just as quickly he had glanced at her, his eyes were back staring at the empty space next to her. “And with all due respects Miss Griffin, this is a business, not a charity.”

Then he turned around and walked back onto the ship.

Abby was still trembling with rage, biting back a thousand words she wanted to shout at him but refrained from doing so because she was in front of the children.

So Abby swallowed back the chest full of disappointment and emotion and prepared herself to break the news to the kids. With heavy shoulders and a heart of stone, she turned around and pushed the very confused and protesting children back up the ramps.

Abby didn’t see the man on the boat turn around to look at her, his eyes only lingering on the back of her head for a few short seconds, wincing, as if studying her. She didn’t see his eyes briefly soften onto the children, thawing the sharper edges of his features.

Abby Griffin didn’t see the flicker of remorse and compassion passing his eyes, that _human_ part of Marcus Kane that she had been searching for and trying to appeal to this entire time, but was rarely brought out by people.

Except today, where that part of him was exposed by Abby Griffin.

…

Abby pushed through the double glass doors to their Airlie Beach ocean view apartment and stormed inside, slipping her wedges off as she did so. She was flipping through the pile of mail but not paying attention to it, her thoughts still on this morning’s failed sailing trip and the children’s teary disappointment.

She walked down the hallway and towards their living room, next to their open, marble kitchen, where she knew Jake would be cooking dinner.

A rant was already bubbling in her chest. “ _You would not believe what happened to me this morning_.” Abby started, throwing her bag and mail onto the sofa with a small rustle. “We were-“

 

Abby stopped at the foot of the dining room, the string of angry words dying on her tongue. She tried to clamp her gaping mouth shut, pure and utter shock paralysing her to the spot.

Her mind raced with a million questions – _how? Why? -_  yet her lips managed to utter one muttering response. “You have got to be kidding me.”

There Marcus Kane stood, leaning back against the kitchen bench with a beer in one hand, and some paperwork in the other. And standing next to him mid conversation was Jake, a beer in one hand too, and a frown pinching his features as he pointed to something on the paperwork.

The two men lifted their heads up at Abby’s arrival.  

Jake’s face broke into a smile when he saw his wife. “Well look who’s finally home. I thought you were finishing at five today?”

Abby’s eyes never leaving Marcus’s, she replied, “The staff meeting ran late today.”

Jake followed her gaze with a confused frown, noticing the frosty chill in his wife’s eyes. Sounding a little unsure, Jake spoke, “Abby, this is Marcus Kane. He works for Sunset Cruise. He’s offered to help the council draft plans for the new harbour, you know, giving us some insight into what the locals want out of this project.”

Tone clipped, Abby replied, “Yes, we’ve had the pleasure of meeting.”

Kane bowed his head down into a nod with an “Abby.”

Abby did the same, murmuring “ _Kane.”_

Jake’s eyes shifted between the two of them, clearly confused at the frigid tension between the two of them. Abby passed her husband on the way to the fridge, saying “We met this morning, down at the docks for what was _supposed_ to be the children’s big sailing trip. Unfortunately, it was cancelled.”

Light slowly dawned in Jake’s eyes as he understood.

Marcus cleared his throat, placing his paperwork on the bench as he went to explain, “Kyle Wick had made promises to Abby that he could take the kids out sailing, without running it by me or management. Unfortunately, he wasn’t familiar with Sunset Cruise’s policies on these matters, or the insurance complexities involved with this too, so I advised him against the decision.”

Jake nodded slowly, his eyes falling with disappointment. “Ah, I see. That is a shame. I’d hate to think about how those poor kids are now.”

Abby frowned, a little irritated that her husband wasn’t as angry as she was, or jumping in to support her and remind Kane that the trip would have only been a couple of hours, with minimal likelihood that the upper management of their business would have found out and anyone would have gotten into trouble.  Sure, maybe Abby wasn’t being fair. Maybe she was being too harsh on Marcus; he was just following his company’s policies.

But still, _he_ didn’t have to deal with a bus full of sobbing kids whose tears and endless moping mood had been tearing at Abby’s heart and her sanity too. _He_ didn’t have to deal with the confused and outraged parents, disgusted that their doctor would give their kids such false hope to begin with. _He_ didn’t have to deal with the guilt that followed this morning’s events.

_But that’s not his fault_ …the quiet voice reminded Abby. Perhaps Abby wasn’t fair to take her frustration out on him.

“ _Mom?”_

Abby spun around, her face instantly lighting up at the sound of Clarke’s voice. Abby bopped down as Clarke raced down the stairs, her blonde bangs flying in her face as she ran into her Mother’s open arms.

Abby hugged her daughter tightly, breathing in her sweet coconut shampoo scent. She always savoured Clarke’s hugs, knowing that her daughter was growing up quickly and would be over them once she hit her hormonal teenager years.  

“What have you got their baby?” Abby asked, noticing the drawing clutched in Clarke’s chubby hand.

Clarke gave her Mother a toothy grin as she presented her with her latest creation, a vibrant green field peppered with fiery marigolds. But it was the finer details to the drawings that Clarke didn’t usually have -the different shades of bright orange and yellow that she blended together, and the fine green sketches of the grass blades - that caught Abby’s attention.

Then she noticed the open case of art pencils on the dining table.

“These pencils are new. Did I buy them?”

“Nope. Marcus did.”

Abby’s eyes bloomed with surprise as she turned to their guest, raising her eyebrows. “Did he now?”

Marcus lifted his shoulder up in a sheepish shrug. “Jake told me about how much Clarke loves to draw, so I thought she’d like proper art pencils. It was no trouble at all,” Marcus said quickly when he noticed her frown. “These were my old pencils, since I bought a new kit recently. I draw myself too.”

Abby was still frowning, studying Marcus closely. She barely registered Clarke freeing herself from her arms before she saw Clarke tugging on Marcus’s shirt, showing him the drawing with a proud smile.

“I drew this for you,” she says, “To thank you for the pencils.”

Then Marcus completely takes Abby by surprise. _He smiles;_ a joyful smile that spreads across his lips and crinkles lines around his eyes. And somehow, he looks warmer, his eyes kinder in shades of melting chocolate brown, his features softer too.

Abby can’t stop the next thought from passing her mind. _He looks handsome when he smiles._

Abby shook her head, wanting to pinch herself for thinking such thoughts. But it’s true.

He looked like a completely different person.

Abby finds it interesting that this new side of Marcus is brought out by Clarke of all people.

She’s so lost in watching Marcus and Clarke – Marcus bobbing down to accept Clarke’s drawing with a soft thank you, and Clarke wrapping her arms tightly around him, making him tense in her little arms before he returns her embrace  - that she doesn’t notice Jake walking back into the living room - _since when had he left?_

“Abby,” Jake called out, snapping Abby’s attention away from Marcus. He frowns at his IPhone. “That was Thelonious on the phone. Unfortunately he and Wells aren’t able to make it to dinner tonight. His flight was delayed and they’re still stuck in the airport.”

Abby frowned, recalling the whole chicken she had marinated and prepared over night that was currently roasting in the oven. “That’s a shame. Qantas’s local flights are usually right on schedule too.”

Jake nodded too. He turned to Clarke and Marcus, watching his daughter guide Marcus through all of the golden flowers in her drawing with a fond smile. “Marcus, you don’t happen to have any dinner plans tonight, do you?”

Marcus lifted his head up, eyes rounding with surprise. “No. But I don’t think I should impose-“

“No, please, stay.”

It was Abby who spoke that time, taking them all by surprise. She attempted a genuine smile, saying “We have a lot of food, and we can’t get through it all. Besides,” Abby eyed Clarke with a smile. “I think Clarke would like you to stay too.”

Clarke looked up at Marcus and nodded with a beaming smile. She had become instantly attracted to Marcus, this mysterious man with the long curly dark hair that she wanted so badly to pull and play with, who had brought her these amazing pencils and told her that she was a true artist.

The corner of Marcus’s lips tugged into a hint of a smile. He looked at Clarke, saying “If Clarke will have me, then I’d love to stay.”

Abby smiled, her eyes lingering on the warm smile Marcus and her daughter shared.

Perhaps she had judged him too quickly after all. 

…

Abby didn’t know what was going on.

One minute, she was walking home from another late night at the hospital, dropping her bag onto the bench and slumping onto the kitchen stool with exhaustion.

And the next minute, Jake was popping his head around the corner with a huge grin, and Clarke was pulling her out of the chair chanting _‘Mum, you have to come now, you have to come, come on!’_ and Clarke and Jake were dragging her out of the apartment and down the beach towards the docks.

Abby was laughing breathlessly as she stumbled behind her impatient daughter, trying to keep up with Clarke and Jake. “Guys, if you don’t tell me where we’re going soon-“

She stopped, her hand flying to her mouth.

She was staring at a magnificent, maple wooden sailing ship. Towering sail flags painted red and black, with a white skull and crossed swords on the front, flapped in the wind. The ship itself was decorated with strings of golden fairy lights shaped like skeletons, swords, treasure chests, and other pirate novelty shapes.

Abby slowly walked towards the giant ship, wondrous eyes taking it all in. She saw all of her younger patients there; Octavia and Bellamy wearing pirate hats and sword fighting on the deck, Jasper grinning mischievously as he pointed a sword at Monty and pretended to make him walk the plank, John and Harper devouring the platters of pirate stickered cupcakes with icing-covered grins.

And there standing at the front of the ship was Marcus Kane, wearing the same tender smile that had captivated her attention all through dinner last night and melted her lips into a smile too.

Jake was already racing Clarke to the ship, jumping onto the deck to join everyone else. Abby however stayed behind, taking a moment to take everything in. Marcus jumped down onto the boat ramp, the same endearing smile playing on his features as he approached her.

“Hey.”

Abby shook her head slowly, her eyes staring incredulously at his. “You did all of this? _How_ did you – I thought-oh my God“ Abby’s voice broke off, lost for words.

She could hear a chorus of laughter and giggles from the children, _hear them playing,_ she could even hear Jackson laughing off in the distance. She felt tears constrict in her chest and sting behind her eyes, completely overwhelmed with emotion.

Marcus however just lifted his shoulder up in a shrug as if it was no big deal, but his eyes were twinkling nonetheless. “I pulled in a few favours from a friend, and managed to convince him to lend me this boat and re-decorate it too. I called up the hospital to contact your patients’ parents to get their permission, and arranged for the nurses to bring the kids down after their last check-ups today. I thought about what you said last week,” Marcus paused, his eyes lingering on hers. “And you were right Abby. These kids deserve better.”

Marcus stared at her closely, watching her lips open and shut as she struggled to utter a single word. Then he saw a radiating smile break across her features.

He wondered how he never noticed just how beautiful Abby Griffin was before.

“Come on,” Marcus offered her his hand with bright eyes. “Would you like a tour?”

Breathing out a small laugh, Abby nodded, letting him help her up onto the ship. She let him guide her towards the back of the boat - passing Jake who was chatting to Jackson, and Clarke, who was joining the Blake twins’ sword fight – where she could see the horizon far beyond.

Abby stared at the gorgeous sunset, soaking in the view, and turned back around to the joyful celebrations unfolding on the ship. Then she lifted her eyes back up to the man who stood before her, his arm leaning on the edge of the ship, his eyes on hers.

_The man who made all of this possible._

“I can’t believe you did this,” Abby breathed. “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me Abby. This is the least I could do after disappointing the kids last week. Besides, ah-“ he paused, hesitating, looking a little sheepish. “I kind of wanted to prove to you that I’m not just some cold arsehole.”

Abby huffed out a small chuckle. “Well point proven.”

Then she took him by surprise and flung her arms around him in a tight hug. Marcus hesitated at first, before slowly returning the embrace. He felt her fingers creep next to the back of his hairs and the other resting warmly on his back as she murmured once more into his neck, “ _Thank you Marcus”_

_Marcus…_

The word sounded foreign on her tongue. So different from the bitter taste of ‘ _Kane,’_ a sharp, uncomfortable tap of her tongue to the roof of her mouth. Yet it suited this man before her, this warm man with his tender eyes and gentle touch.

Abby pulled back, staring at Marcus through her shining eyes. _Yes. It suited him perfectly._

So Abby went to test the word on her tongue once more. “ _Marcus_ ,” and she noticed the way his eyes lit up when she said his first name, his features crinkling with a wide smile.

So she said it again.

“Marcus, I really mean it. Thank you.”

Marcus squeezed her hand affectionately in response.

Then he was whisked away, the cries of twenty impatient children wanting to start sailing calling for him.

Abby followed Marcus back to the front of the boat where he stared the engine. She watched Clarke tug on his shirt and lift her arms into the air. She watched Marcus chuckle as he went to pick her up, holding her in one arm and holding the wheel steady in the other, letting Clarke’s little hands reach for the wheel as she – with Marcus’s guidance- steered the wheel with an elated smile.

In that moment, Abby knew that she would remember this day - every tiny detail and wave of emotion she felt crashing through her - _forever_.

She would remember their first embrace here on this ship and would compare it to every of their other embraces, chest firm yet body always softening into hers, his arms always warm and secure around her tiny frame. She would remember his infectious chuckles and breath-catching smiles. She would remember the special moment Marcus and Clarke shared on this boat together, the first time Clarke’s passion for the ocean and boating was truly awoken.

Yet even nine years later on, Abby Griffin would never truly remember the significance of this day.

Because it wasn’t the midnight rainy hugs they shared or their intimate dances on the beach or when they laid stargazing on the boat, hand in hand, or a million other magical moments they shared together after Jake passed away that had her falling for him.

No…it was this moment, this day, when Marcus Kane showed her just how generous and loving and compassionate he is, and how he loves so deeply, not through words or kisses or longing eyes, but through _gestures,_ selfless, meaningful and heart-felt gestures to those he loved the most.

It was on this day that Marcus Kane won a piece of Abby’s heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because if you ask me, actions speak louder than words. Please let me know your thoughts!
> 
> I'll be looking to add more flashbacks and kind of provide more context for Abby and Marcus's history, as well as develop the plot. So the kabby will be less intense in the short future but it'll be so worth it coming chapters. Given my hectic schedule this semester i'm giving myself three hours to write a week, so updates may not be regular, every few weeks if I'm lucky so please try and be patient with me. I want these chapters to be as polished as possible given the amount of time I have. But it'll be well worth it I promise! 
> 
> Also thank you guys so much for all of your lovely comments and thoughts of this fic. It really brightens up my day, and these comments mean the world to me!!! xoxo 
> 
> ~ Lydia


	3. Just seconds between us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just an official note, the title has been changed from scandalous to 'Public Affairs'. It has a nicer flow to it (and others agreed). I promise there will be no more title changes (I'm just the most indecisive person ever!).

_One…two…three…four…_

Abby held her breath in for seven beats, counting silently in her head,

_One…two…three…four…five…six…seven…_

Just as the expanding weight in her chest began to burn, she released, slowly exhaling through her mouth,

  _One…two…three…four…five…six…seven…eight_

Feeling a little calmer as she slowly came back down to earth, Abby eased her grip on the bathroom sink. She lifted her eyes to take in her reflection.

Despite the twenty-five degree heat, her hair was still holding firm and glossy, a cascade of caramel coloured curls intricately woven together and pinned to the side in a loose bun, except for the few lose curls that trickled around her cheeks. She wore a rich red dress to compliment her crimson painted lips, held by thin ribbon tied around her neck, the luxurious silk glided over her skin and slithered around her body.

But beneath the glamour and layers of makeup, Abby saw tired eyes blinking back at her, heavy features fighting another wave of exhaustion. If she had to smile one more time tonight, she was sure that her cheeks would crack.

Abby was physically and emotionally drained.

_‘It will be a small affair’_ Thelonious had promised her, his words drifting back to her. _‘Just a small cocktail party. We won’t stay long.’_

Abby almost laughed.

_Of course she should have known better than to believe him._

It had been a week since Thelonious had dropped the bombshell of his new political career. Since then, he and his campaign team have been tirelessly working to try and boost his public image. Alie had converted their house into ‘campaign headquarters’, stocking their fridge full of her caffeinated drinks, littering their living room with her paperwork and tangle of electronic plugs, and disrupting Abby’s quiet evenings alone in front of the television with her irritating typing and phone calls.

It was Alie’s idea for them all to attend the exclusive charity gala as a chance for Thelonious to meet the community and win over the public’s support. Clarke had (less than politely) declined the invitation, refusing to _‘go along with this insanity’_ as she had put it, and went to stay the night at Lexa’s house instead.

Yet Abby – still feeling guilty for betraying Thelonious and willing to try and take steps towards mending their rocky relationship - had agreed to attend the event. Besides, all funds would go towards the children’s hospital, _something_ at least Abby could willingly support.

The past four hours had been a rush of introductory ‘ _how do you dos’_ through tight, cheek-aching smiles, and tinkling laughs in-between sips of champagne as she stood by Thelonious’s side, arm in his, watching him as he spoke profusely to anyone he could meet about his ‘bright vision’ for this town.

At some point during the night, Abby managed to slip away to the bathroom. Now she wanted to lock herself in the cubicle and never leave.

Abby thought quietly, _Jake would have never asked me to do this._

Yet as Thelonious’s partner, it was as if he expected this off her, _insisted_ that he couldn’t do this without her. He wanted her there by his side, playing the role of the adoring and supportive partner. And despite the urge Abby would feel to escape this party and run back home to her warm bed, she would always ignore it and drain another glass of champagne down instead, swallow back her pride and bitterness, and continue on.

Because it was _the least_ she could do after betraying him.

When Abby left the bathroom, she was surprised to see that Thelonious wasn’t waiting for her outside like she had imagined. Clearly, he and Ali were making progress gaining the community’s support without her.

Abby made her way down the stairs, her stiletto heels tapping against the polished marble tiles. Woven strings of glittering lights hung above them like luminous web in the dark, splashing drops of gold light across the velvet curtain walls, open stage and onto the dance floor.

Abby took a moment to admire the spectacular foyer and thought,

_Of course Thelonious would want to attend this event._

This was the same man who had picked her up in his flash new Mercedes for their first date, even though the restaurant was just a ten minute walk from her house. The same man who had proposed to her with a string quarter behind him in one of the most exclusive restaurants in town.

Thelonious always enjoyed indulging in the comforts of his wealth, and took pleasure in being one of the privileged few who were invited to these prestigious events too. It was a pretentious side of him that Abby managed to tolerate, even convinced herself that she would perhaps learn to adjust to one day like she had adjusted to so many of Jake’s annoying habits.

But dragging Abby out to attend a gala when she had a mountain of paperwork on her desk, and insisting that she stay their by his side, smiling and attentive to his every word like some trophy wife, _was not_ comparable to leaving the toilet seat up. 

A vibration and a small _‘ding’_ of her phone snapped Abby out of her thoughts. She reached into her purse, her eyes blooming excitedly when she read the text.

_Hey, look up : )_

Abby lifted her head up, her breath catching in her throat when they landed on her admirer. She wondered if the three glasses of champagne was clouding her mind and betraying her vision. But no, there Marcus was, standing at the entrance of the building with the same endearing smile she’s grown to love.

Abby bit back a giddy smile, making her way towards him. She resisted the rushing temptation to run over and jump into his arms, as if it had been years since they had last seen each other and not the one week since their night on the boat.

Abby’s heart flipped as she neared him, feet almost tripping when she took him in.

_He was gorgeous._  

His usual damp, messy hair had been washed and brushed, with only a few waves of hair falling over his eye. He was wearing a suit too, a crisp white shirt that clung to his chest and wrinkled over the waist of his pants, an unbuttoned jacket hanging loose by his side, and a crooked, blue striped tie.

Abby took a moment to breathe, struggling to tear her eyes away from the thin and tight material of his shirt that left little to her imagination. Abby finally managed to drag her eyes back to his, saying with a teasing smile “Well, would you look at this. I never thought I’d see Marcus Kane in a suit.”

Marcus breathed out a small chuckle, glancing down at his suit. “Raven picked it out for me. Although it feels a little tight,” he added, reaching to loosen his tie.

Seeing his struggle, Abby instinctively reached out to help him, her fingers brushing over his as she went to loosen the tie some more before tightening it, the action almost second nature to her after years of doing up Jake’s.

Marcus looked down at her with a small smile when she was done, murmuring out a ‘ _thanks_.”

And Abby lifted her eyes back up with the first genuine smile she had graced all night. Her tone playful, she asked, “So, are you going to tell me what you’re doing here then? Last time I checked, you hated attending parties that required shoes, let alone a black tie event.”

Marcus shot her an offended look. “Hey, I attend formal celebrations too. Just…only those with an open bar,” he finished sheepishly, earning an amused smile from Abby.

“Well, I can’t imagine that you’ve come here for the alcohol, because this champagne is awful,” Abby said.

 “Well if you must know, I came here with Raven. She wanted to come but hates attending parties alone, so she’s here as my date. Although, I’m starting to believe she had other reasons for coming…”

Abby followed Marcus’s gaze to Raven Reyes, who was leaning over the bar, laughing flirtatiously at something the surprised yet entranced bartender, Kyle Wick, was saying.

“So what about you?” Marcus asked, turning his attention back to her. “If I recall correctly, Abby Griffin never enjoyed these extravagant social gatherings either.”

Abby’s chewed her lip, her eyes briefly sinking down. She glanced across the crowded hall, her eyes finding Thelonious. He was chatting with a different couple now, his hand resting warmly on the man’s shoulder.

Then she said, “Would you believe me if I said I came because Thelonious wanted me here?”

Marcus frowned at her answer, but he didn’t push her any further.  

Abby read his expression and repressed a small sigh. “Did Clarke tell you that Thelonious plans on running for Mayor this year?”

Marcus’s features furrowed with doubt or worry, Abby couldn’t quite tell. But he simply said, “Yes, I heard.”

Abby smiled sadly. “Well, he and Alison seemed to think that attending this event will be a good way to boost his public image. And I hate to say it, but I think they may be right.”

Marcus followed her gaze to her partner, who was laughing a little too loudly that even Marcus could tell that it wasn’t genuine, but this seemed to go unnoticed by the stunned yet pleased audience Thelonious was captivating.

Marcus wondered just what type of people these prestigious events attracted anyway.

“Shit,” Abby suddenly muttered, breaking Marcus’s attention.

Frowning, Marcus followed Abby’s gaze to a woman with long, dark hair, arched eyebrows and sharp eyes. She was heading straight towards them. Marcus went to ask Abby who exactly this woman was when he heard Abby inhale sharply, and saw panic cloud her eyes. Clearly, this mysterious woman was no friend.

“I need to get out of here,” Abby whispered.

_She did not want Alie to drag her back over there._

Thinking quickly, Marcus took Abby’s hand and stepped back, encouraging her to follow him. Abby looked over her shoulder – Alie was gaining speed- then nodded, following him through the clusters of people and into the heart of the dance floor.

“What are you doing?” Abby whispered hurriedly, casting another look over her shoulder to see if they had lost her.

Marcus’s lips twitched into a smirk, saying “By the looks of it, saving you.”

Then he was pulling a very startled Abby towards him, his arm wrapping around her lower back.

Abby’s pulse quickened at his touch, suddenly a little flustered and unsteady on her feet. Then she felt Marcus squeeze her hand comfortingly, as if seeking her permission. Abby lifted her gaze, her heart jumping in her chest when she met his warm brown eyes, catching a fire within her chest.

Marcus brought her hand up to his lips, his kiss barely a brush against her knuckles, but it was enough to make her shiver nonetheless. Smiling, he whispered, “May I?”

Heart hammering, Abby nodded, allowing him to guide their intertwined hands into the air. Reaching for his shoulder, Abby let him to take her away from here.

Marcus danced slowly yet eloquently, spinning her around the room. Abby quickly fell into step with him, taking short steps between his feet, to the side, and then back again, as if they had danced to this ballad so many times before.

Feeling more comfortable with the steps, Abby raised her eyes back up to his, a giddy smile spreading across her features. “I didn’t know you could dance. What other surprises have you been hiding from me?”

Marcus’s eyes twinkled playfully as he dipped her down, stirring a gasp then tinkling laughter from her lips. His arm still wrapped securely around her lower back, Marcus bent over, following her down until his nose almost brushed hers as he whispered, “I’m afraid that’s just something you’ll have to find out on your own.”

Grinning, Marcus guided Abby back up and into his arms. Abby barely had a chance to catch her breath before he was leading her back into step again. He twirled her around in his arms until her back was pressed against his chest. She stayed like that for a few beats, briefly relishing in the sensation of having him so close to her as they swayed together. Then she was spinning back around - laughing, and stumbling a little – his hand catching her waist as she came back into his arms.

They began dancing circles around the room once more.

 “So,” Marcus began. “I believe that Clarke has arranged for us to have a picnic together next week.”

Abby frowned, mentally recalling her previous chats with her daughter. “Really? I know Clarke wanted us to all catch up, but I didn’t know that she had planned anything yet.”

Marcus winced. “I hope she wasn’t planning to surprise you and I just ruined it.”

Abby shook her head, smiling. “I don’t think so, that wouldn’t be like her.” Her hand went to climb over his shoulder, gentle fingers skimming the curve of his neck as she continued suggestively, “Although it’s a shame, because I think I’m starting to like surprises.”

Marcus met her teasing smile with one of his own.

The ballad began to slow down, and they did too. Their steps became smaller and smaller, their spontaneous dips and spins less and less until they were no longer dancing, but swaying together, their feet occasionally moving side to side.

Abby’s eyes fluttered shut, a fuzzy, warm sensation stirring in her belly and spreading throughout her. She wondered if it should feel this good to be held in Marcus’s arms, if it was right to feel this secure dancing with a man who wasn’t hers.

Then Marcus tugged on her waist, drawing her closer to him, and any feelings of guilt or apprehension fled her body. Instead, Abby felt content and pleasurably warm swaying in his arms. Stepping closer to him, feeling his firm chest beneath her own, and his heart quicken under her touch. She dipped her head down until her nose was inches from the crook of his neck, his rich cologne and musk filling her senses.

In that moment, Abby wondered what others would think if she were to rest her head on his shoulder…if it would be wrong if she were to tangle her arms around his neck and draw his body even closer to hers, brush her lips against his neck and pray for the song to never end…

_Would others watch and gasp and question her fidelity? Would Thelonious see, or would he still be too busy campaigning for his own political agenda?_

_Would Abby be betraying her fiancée all over again?_

“I think we lost her.” 

Abby’s eyes fluttered open at the breathy voice, lifting her head up with a small _‘hmm?’_

Marcus huffed out an amused chuckle, his eyes taking in her tired yet blissfully content smile. “That woman. I think she’s given up looking for you.” 

It took Abby a few seconds to remember just who this woman (Alie) was, and why they were here dancing in the first place. Marcus spun them around so Abby could see that Alie was indeed gone, and back by Thelonious’s side.

“Does that mean we have to stop?” Abby asked softly, instantly regretting the question, fearing that he’d say no.

Fortunately, Marcus said with a smile, “Well, the song hasn’t finished yet.”

So Abby smiled and closed her eyes once more. She surrendered herself to Marcus’s touch and the pleasant sensations that tingled all over her. When she opened her eyes, her breath hitched in her throat, catching him studying her. His eyes were soft with affection, deep swirls of espresso brown wincing at her like she was a work of art. His stare completely caught Abby off guard, and she found herself falling, hard and fast.

If she didn’t stop to pull herself out now, Abby was sure that she would drown in those eyes.

Quickly, Abby cleared her throat and said, “I feel like people are staring at us.”

Perhaps that was said with the intentions of reminding them both just how close they were, and that they were dancing in a public space with her fiancée just ten feet away from them.

If they were indeed her intentions, they went unnoticed because Marcus said, “I can’t blame them.  I’m dancing with the most beautiful woman in the room.”

His words were a little cheesy, yet Abby’s heart sprinted all the same. “Marcus, Thelonious is just over there.”

Marcus just raised his eyebrows innocently and said, “And we’re not doing anything wrong.”

Marcus was right. They were just dancing, two friends innocently dancing. And yet… _and yet_ Abby felt like she was betraying Thelonious with her thoughts, with the simple way her body reacted to Marcus’s touch…

“Hey, do you want to get out of here?”

Abby startled, looking back up at Marcus with surprised eyes. “What?”

Marcus’s lips crawled into an eye twinkling smile. “You heard me.”

“I…I can’t just leave,” Abby replied, still surprised that he would ask her too.

“Why not?”

He asked her as if it was a simple question, but Abby knew that it didn’t have a simple answer. Reading the conflict passing her eyes, Marcus tried again, “I want to show you something tonight, and I know you’ll love it.” He paused, thinking for a moment, then, “Think of it as a surprise.”

Excitement bubbled inside Abby at his words, her response dancing on the tip of her tongue, ‘ _Yes…yes. Take me away from here.’_ Yet Abby found herself glancing over her shoulder instead, the air rushing from her lungs.

From across the room, Thelonious’s sharp eyes met hers.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Abby began, her racing heart returning back to normal when she turned back to Marcus. “And I think Thelonious is coming now.”

Marcus’s eyes passed hers, seeing Jaha walking over. “Abby, you don’t have to stay here if you don’t want too.”

“Marcus,” Abby stopped, anxiety clawing within her at the thought of Thelonious catching them talking such things. “I want to go with you, believe me, I do. But I don’t think I can leave.”

Marcus stared at her for a few seconds, thinking quickly. Then, “Every year at these charity galas, they gather everyone around the stage to present speeches just before midnight. Could you slip away and meet me then? Nobody will notice you leaving then.”

Abby looked into his eyes, full of hope and promise, and she couldn’t find it within herself to resist. So she nodded with an excited smile and whispered, “Okay. I’ll meet you outside the building after midnight.”

Marcus released Abby just as Thelonious stepped into his view.

“I hope you don’t mind if I steal back my fiancé?”

Marcus’s tensed expression quickly eased into a smile when Thelonious offered him a hand and a warm smile.

“Not at all. Thelonious, it’s good to see you again,” Marcus said, shaking the man’s hand.

Thelonious nodded and replied, “Me too my friend.”

“I have to say, I’m still surprised that you left the big capital to come back down here again.”

Thelonious lifted his shoulder up in a humble shrug. “What can I say? Abby and I missed the warm weather, Clarke missed her friends, and I saw new opportunities here.”

 “Ah yes. I heard that you’re running for Mayor now?”

Abby watched the two men talk and catch up, was surprised at just how warm and friendly Marcus was acting towards Thelonious, given that he had just confessed a week ago that he was still in love with Abby.

Abby too was surprised at how friendly Thelonious was acting, given that his recent behaviour and their argument last week had hinted that he was suspicious about Abby’s relationship with Marcus. But she did notice the way he slowly edged towards her, his arm finally coming to loop around her waist, his smile genuine but his eyes razor sharp as they cut through Marcus.

Abby was so caught up in reading the two men’s facial expressions and interpreting their body language that she didn’t even realise that the conversation had ended, until Thelonious was pressing a cool kiss to her cheek and saying softly,

“I’m sorry that I haven’t had much time for you tonight, but I’m glad that Marcus was able to keep you company.”

Abby looked up, a little surprise that he wasn’t asking her where she had been, or telling her that he had missed her there by his side. She wondered if he would tell her how he truly felt when they were alone again.

“It’s fine,” Abby said through a tight smile. “It was good to catch up with Marcus again.”

Thelonious nodded, smiling at Marcus. “We should have a beer some time, and have you around for dinner too.”

Marcus’s smile was a little strained when he replied, “I’d like that.”

Then Abby felt Thelonious tugging her towards him, asking, “Can I have this one dance with you?”

Abby met his warm eyes and nodded with a small smile and an _‘of course you can,’_ because how could she deny him this?

Abby tangled her arms around her partner’s neck as they began to sway. She watched Marcus turn around and leave as Thelonious went to catch her up on what she had missed. Yet his words wheezed right past her ears, because all she could think about was the memories of spinning around in Marcus’s arms, and how she longed to be dancing with him again.

Abby slowly counted down the seconds to midnight…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know your thoughts! Reviews are forever loved <3 
> 
> I am a sucker for kabby dance scenes and just HAD to include one in. Apologies for the wait, but i'm overloaded with life (ugh why is that a thing) and am afraid to say that it's only getting busier! Bright side though, this was originally gonna be like 8000 words but I split it into two chapters, meaning that the next update is almost done! I'm still working on the plot for this fic (unbelievable right?), and nothing is set in stone except for a TON of adorable feelsy kabby moments I have planned, and the plot will kind of just fall into place/work around that I think. 
> 
> Again, please leave me your thoughts! Your lovely comments always mean the world to me, and I put so much time and effort into these updates that it's always heart warming to know that people are reading it and enjoying it too. xoxo


	4. Under the stars

 “You want me to _walk through there_?”

Abby’s tone escalated towards the end as if it was the most ridiculous thing anyone had ever asked her to do.

“Yes. So?”

Abby frowned, looking doubtful about his request. She glanced over her shoulder to where the hotel stood at the bottom of the hill, the brilliantly lit building now looking like a dotted dim of light from where they stood at the top of the hill. Abby was still wondering how she had managed to slip away from the party unnoticed and without receiving a call from Thelonious either. 

Marcus had been leading her up the mountains for some time now, refusing to tell her where they were going. Somehow, he had managed to navigate them through the darkness with the dim glow from his phone and to the tip of a trail at the top of a hill that led to the depths of the forest.

Abby eyed the darkness beyond the trail, like the opening of a mouth waiting to swallow her whole.  She shivered. Images of prickly bugs and axe murderous hiding in the shadows flashed through her mind.

The last thing Abby wanted to do was walk through there.

But she didn’t express any of these fears. Instead, she protested flatly, “But it’s dark. We won’t be able to see a thing. What if I trip? Or crash into a tree? It’s not like walking up this hill wasn’t hard enough with these,” she finished, gesturing to her pointed heels.

Through the dim glow of Marcus’s IPhone, she could see his lips twitch into an amused smile. “I still have my phone, and it’ll give us some light. Besides, I’ve walked this trail a few times before. I’ll hold onto you and make sure you won’t trip.”

Abby raised her eyebrows. “You can’t ensure that.”

Marcus lifted his shoulder up in a sheepish shrug, his eye twinkling in the night. “I can try.”

Abby chewed her lower lip nervously, contemplating the decision.

Then she felt Marcus’s arm wrap protectively around her side, and Abby instantly melted into his touch.  

And just like that, her decision was made.

They walked through the woods, Marcus’s arm still wrapped around her waist, slowly guiding her down the thin trail. Abby felt rocky gravel dig into her feet through her thin shoes, felt her shoes sink into soil, and at one point, heard the click clacking of heels walking across a wooden bridge.

In the darkness, Abby was truly able to feel the sensations surrounding her; the soothing summer breeze blowing pleasurably cool against her skin, the whispers and rustles of wildlife, the comforting touch of Marcus’s hand resting on her lower back…

The walk was mostly up hill, but it wasn’t long. Before Abby knew it, Marcus had released her waist with a, “We’re here.”   

They were standing on an outlook layered with unkept grass tickling her ankles. At first she could see nothing but boulders and grass climbing up the cliff, but then she took some steps towards the edge of the hill, gasping at the sight. 

_The view was breathtaking…_

From her high vantage point, Abby could see the shimmering oceans below them and the peaks of the islands beyond the horizon. She saw the moon hanging in the shadowy black sky like a luminous pearl, reflecting a river of silver light slithering in the ocean.

But it was the stars that truly captivated her. There were at least hundreds of them sprinkled all above them, so wherever she turned, she saw the silver glittering specks illuminating the sky.

“It’s so beautiful,” Abby whispered, her head craning to soak in as much of the gorgeous sight as she could.

“Wait for it,” Marcus said softly, pointing.

So Abby waited…and then,

A white ball of light streaked across the sky, its tail glazing over the other stars like the tip of a paintbrush striking canvas. It was gone in the blink of an eye.

_A shooting star._

Abby closed her eyes, murmuring quietly to herself.

Marcus stared at her with an amused look. “What are you doing?”

Abby opened her eyes, her smile just noticeable through the dim moonlight. “Making a wish.”

They continued to stand there for a few moments, simply taking in the spectacular sight and watching more shooting stars spread their light across the sky. At some point, Abby’s feet had crept closer to Marcus, her hand seeking his for a moment, wanting to be closer to him and to share this special moment with him. Marcus didn’t say anything when she did so, but simply squeezed her hand in return.

Now Abby was walking towards the edge of the lookout, wanting to see more of the view, when the toe of her shoes kicked something hard with a ‘ _dint’._ Abby looked down to see an empty beer bottle on the ground. Frowning at the litter, she saw another empty coffee cup, and silently chided the previous viewers for defiling this special place. Abby went to see if there was something she could collect the rubbish in – perhaps a forgotten bag - when her eyes landed on a blanket rolled out conveniently in the middle of the hill.

Smiling, Abby made her way over to the blanket. She arched a questioning eyebrow at Marcus, who was standing on the other side. Marcus followed her suspicious gaze to the blanket and held up his hands defensively, saying, “I know what it looks like, but I did not plan this. I’m sure other couples before us have come to see the view too.”

Abby guessed that made sense. The fluffy blanket – surprisingly not dirty, but soft and thick - did look tempting though…

So Abby went to lie down on the blanket, gesturing for Marcus to come and join her. He laid down next to her, a hand resting underneath his head.

“I never got to thank you for bringing me here,” Abby spoke, casting him a glance.  “The view’s magical. How did you know that there would be a meteorite shower tonight?”

“Wick told me about it last week. I think he was hoping to take Raven here after his shift. I guess the two of them got occupied with other activities then.”  

Abby sensed the suggestive tone lacing Marcus’s voice, remembering watching Raven flirting with Wick. It made her want to laugh when she remembered her younger days and how ridiculous she must have looked when she was in love with Jake, completely oblivious as to how she was behaving. It made her think of Clarke, and she wondered when she would be witnessing Clarke fall head over heels in love too.  

Abby rolled over onto her side, staring at Marcus through the veil of darkness between them. “So, you knew about this special place for a week huh? And just how long were you planning on taking me here?”

Marcus glanced at her, hiding a small smile. “It only came to me tonight, I swear.” He stopped, wondering if he should continue. He said softly, “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t see how unhappy you looked back there.”

Abby lowered her eyes, the guilt suddenly filling her once more. _Did she really look that unhappy?_ Marcus - reading her eyes and automatically regretting his words -rolled onto his side so he was facing her and quickly said, “Hey, can I ask you a question?”

Abby lifted her eyes up and nodded.

“When we saw the shooting star, what did you wish for?”

Abby hesitated, as if considering holding back the information, before she replied, “For Clarke to be happy.”

Marcus nodded slowly. _Of course she would wish for that_. Abby never wanted anything more than for her daughter’s happiness. Yet he felt an inexplicable wave of disappointment sweep heavily over him, as if was hoping that she would wish for something else, no. _Someone else_.

Marcus hoped that his disappointment didn’t show when he replied, “Me too Abby,” because he truly meant it.

They laid their in silence for a few minutes, when Marcus suddenly brought her attention to the Southern Cross in the sky. “Do you see it?”

Abby frowned, trying to follow his points and instructions. She could never differentiate the iconic star from the others.  “No.”

Marcus reached for her hand and guided her finger across to the star, pointing it out again. Still, Abby couldn’t see it. Chuckling at her clear frustration, Marcus released her hand and went to show her the other constellations mapping the sky. Abby had better luck at finding them. 

Abby wasn’t sure how long she laid under the stars, soaking in the spectacular stars and listening to Marcus’s soothing voice explain to her what the constellations were and what they meant, (wisdom his Mother had passed to him long ago), when the air turned cold.

Chilly wind swept over Abby, making her shiver. Marcus immediately noticed her discomfort and sat up to take off his jacket, insisting – despite Abby’s protests – that she wear it. So she took it with a begrudgingly ‘ _thank you’_ , but Marcus saw her snuggle gratefully into his thick jacket.

They laid back down to talk more about the stars and Clarke and how excited Clarke was to see the reef again. Marcus could still feel Abby shivering next to him, so he went to wrap an arm around her, pulling her closer towards him. He ran a hand up and down her arm, hoping to warm her up.

“Are you still cold?” he asked, concern softening his eyes. “Did you want to head back?”

Abby turned her head to the side, smiling softly at his concern. She snuggled deeper next to his body and said, “No. Just hold me.”

Marcus’s arm tightened around her.

Abby closed her eyes, relishing in Marcus’s body heat. She could feel his hand running up and down her sides, drawing a content sigh from her chest. She rolled in his arms and onto her side, staring at him through the milky moonlight.

His previously tamed hair had not surprisingly, reverted back into their messy dark waves, falling over his forehead and curling out around his neck. Wincing, Abby could make out a few leaves caught in his hair from when his hair must have brushed a branch on the way over here. Then to her surprise, she saw sand. Grains of sand caught in his hair.

Abby couldn’t help but laugh. Only Marcus could get sand in his hair when they weren’t even on the beach. She assumed he hadn’t washed his hair as thoroughly as he had hoped.

Marcus, clearly perplexed at her laughter, frowned. “What is it?”

Abby shook her head at him, the amused smile still dancing on her lips. “Only you could get sand in your hair when you’re not anywhere near the beach.” She leaned up on an elbow and went to run her fingers through his messy hair, brushing out the fallen leaves, but unable to get the tiny grains of sand. “Honestly Marcus, you’re worse than Clarke.”

Marcus breathed out a chuckle and shook his head, failing to free any of the impossible sand from his hair. “I should get my hair cut.”

Abby shook her head with a fond smile. “Don’t.” She leaned closer towards him, her fingers once again tangling through his soft hair before she swept his hair away from his face. “I like it like this. It makes you look…softer.”

Marcus’s heart flipped at her words, his eyes twinkling when they met hers. “Then maybe I’ll keep it like this then.”

His adorable smile sent her heart fluttering wildly, like a jar of butterflies suddenly released into the wild. Abby wondered if she was betraying Thelonious right now, just by being so close to Marcus, her hip pressed against his, her pulse accelerating when he reached for her hand that lingered on his face.

Was she still betraying him if she simply _felt_ the overwhelming desire to kiss him?

“We need to stop,” Abby whispered, fear lacing her tone. “I can’t- we need space…distance between us, _right now_.”

Abby released his hand, her eyes growing wide with fear. Fear at the conflicting feelings she had within her and the terrifying desire she had to cheat on her partner with Marcus again.

Marcus leaned up on his elbow, his eyes seeking hers. “Abby, what’s wrong?”

She whispered, “I don’t trust myself.”

Then Abby made to get up, her heart drumming in her ears, frantic thoughts shouting _‘Go! Go! Go!_ ’ before she could do anything she’d regret.

But Marcus’s hand caught hers with an, “Abby wait!” He sat up as Abby half fell and half sat back down, her legs curled to the side. “Abby, don’t go. Just…please, stay for a few more moments.”

Abby stared at his eyes, searching through the pleading look and concern shading them. It was always his eyes that drew her to him. There was something about those eyes, dark brown like rich soil with flecks of gold stone. Perhaps it was the warmth they held that seemed to have a way of melting her heart with one look, or the little brackets that creased around the edges of his eyes that stole her breath away with each of his smiles. Or perhaps it was the unconditional love and affection that lingered behind his eyes, stirring crazy butterflies within her and feelings, _forbidden_ feelings that she held for him too.

His eyes were her kryptonite, one look and Abby could forget who Abby Griffin was, forget what was wrong and right, and simply give in to her desires _._

Abby closed her eyes before she could get lost in his eyes anymore, afraid that they would pull her in and consume her completely. A hand resting on the blanket, Abby dipped her head down, her conflicting feelings pushing and pulling within her and weighing her down with weariness.

 _Was it betrayal if she loved breathing in his scent?_ He had a crisp smell like fresh earth after the summer rain, his scent exuding saltwater and musky cologne and something _so uniquely_ him. Abby inhaled, her nose inches away from his neck. She was sure that she could get drunk off his scent alone.

 _Was it betrayal if she loved being this close to him?_ So close that if she shook her head, her loose curls would tickle his face.

 _Was it betrayal that she was having these thoughts and feelings, but she still didn’t leave?_ Even when she felt Marcus’s hand climbing over hers, thumb brushing over her knuckles, prickling goose bumps on her skin.

_Was it betrayal that she didn’t want to leave him?_

“Abby?” his whisper was hoarse, dripping with desire.

Abby opened her eyes, seeing his pupils dilate, hear his breaths growing shallower and shallower.

“Marcus, I lied before.” Abby wasn’t sure why she was telling him this all of a sudden, but she just _knew_ that she had to let him know, in some way, that he meant something to her, _so much more_ than Abby could ever admit to him, so much more than she’d allow herself to believe.

“What do you mean?”

“When I was wishing on the shooting star, I didn’t wish for Clarke’s happiness, well no, _of course_ I want Clarke to be happy; I would do anything for her happiness. But that’s not what I wished for.”

Marcus’s heart skipped a beat. “Then what did you wish for?”

When Abby met his eyes, guilt contorted her features; she whispered “I wished for this night to never end.”

Shock washed over Marcus’s features, which quickly blossomed with a hopeful smile. Reading his smile, Abby said, “Marcus, no.” Still, his smile didn’t falter. So she tried again with a whisper,

“This is wrong.”

“I know.” Then he was leaning towards her, breathing, “But God, I don’t care.”

Then he kissed her.

With the first brush of his mouth, Abby’s lips fell open into his, reaching out to capture more of his kiss. _The kiss felt amazing._ There was something so intoxicating at kissing someone she couldn’t have, _exhilarating_. _Like a saint taking their first drink of wine._ He kissed her deeply and sensually, and took her breath away.

 _His lips were electric._ Burning deliciously hot against hers, and sending waves of electricity sizzling throughout her body each time his mouth enclosed around hers. As her lips parted his and closed over his lower lip to deepen the kiss over and over again, their heads tilting to the side in sync, she felt electricity spread warm and fuzzy all over her.  

Hand curling around her neck to guide her mouth deeper into his, his tongue slipped inside her parted lips, drawing a long awaiting moan from her throat. Their tongues stroked, played and intertwined leisurely, taking the time to run over teeth and explore.

This was bad.

Very, _very_ bad _._

But Marcus Kane had this effect on her, this overwhelming, all-consuming effect when he kissed her, chasing away all of her inhibitions until she felt nothing but pure want for him.

He was her drug, her _addiction_ , and like an alcoholic binging Abby couldn’t stop drinking into his kisses, wanting more…more… _more…_

He broke the kiss with a breathless, “God Abby, what are you doing to me?”

She felt the weight of her guilt crush her chest like an iron ball. “We’re terrible people.”

Her guilt quickly evaporated when she felt his mouth on her neck, opening and closing over her sprinting pulse until she was moaning. Lips dragging a trail of slow kisses down her collarbone, he murmured, “Do you want me to stop?”

Abby’s eyes fluttered shut with a sharp gasp, tilting her head back to grant him further access. “God, no.”

Grinning, Marcus captured her lips in another biting kiss, his hands snaking around her waist and pulling her flush against his body. Steadying her hands on his shoulders, Abby manoeuvred her body so she was straddling his thighs. Her hands briefly tangled through his hair, before they quickly ran down his shoulders and snuck under his shirt. His hands too were greedily squeezing and sculpting their way down her curves, pushing the ends of her dress up her thighs.

It wasn’t long before Marcus had torn his jacket off her and Abby was trying to tear off his shirt. Fingers fumbling with the buttons, she soon heard Marcus chuckling at her clear frustration before he went to assist, pulling the shirt over his head.

Abby stopped for a pounding beat to take his bare chest in. Under the silky moonlight he looked beautiful. _She wanted to kiss him everywhere._

She started with his throat, nipping along his neck, hands running pleasurably over his chest, feeling his muscles contract as she did so. Her tongue lapped over his Adam’s apple before she buried her mouth into the pulse in his neck. Abby enjoyed the noises she drew from his throat, feeling the warm brush of his breaths quicken against her. She felt his fingers curl into her waist, tugging her closer, _encouraging her._

Yet Abby dragged her mouth away. Her fingers trailed down his chest, eyes making out his scars through the dim moonlight.

His fingers eased their grip on her waist. Something shifted in the air. 

Marcus watched her stare, swallowing thickly he whispered, “There are so many.”

Abby lifted her eyes up, heart cracking when she saw the grief and insecurity shattering behind his eyes. She whispered, “I think they’re beautiful.”

Then Abby kissed his scar running over his heart, feeling his heart quicken under her mouth. She kissed another scar and another, over and over again, willing to erase the pain that these marks gave him. She kept on kissing his scars until she felt Marcus stop her with a gentle hand tilting her chin and a soft smile, before he guided her mouth back to his.

It was like her kisses had healed a part of him, tearing down his walls and insecurities until she had found his heart. So he kissed her like she was the last woman on earth, tenderly then passionately, as if his lips could pour out the flame of feelings he felt towards her.  

Her lips never leaving his, Abby gently pushed him back onto the ground so he was on his back. Grinning, she began to wriggle her hips against his, moaning at the friction between them. Their kisses grew hungrier, _raw,_ tongues clashing together as Abby grinded her hips at increasing speed. She could feel him growing harder and harder against her, making her moan with pleasure and- Abby gasped, his hands curving under her arse to push her forward with each rise of his hips, increasing the delicious friction between them.

She already felt so wet and ready for him.

Marcus slid a hand between their bodies, fingers slipping past the brushes of her silk dress and warm thighs, until he was stroking her through her damp underwear. Abby tilted her head back, moaning.

The pressure between her thighs was _aching,_ and Marcus’s torturously slow hands were only increasing the unbearable tension. Fingers slipping inside her underwear, he began to caress the fire between her thighs. He was slow at first, fingers just brushing over her, touching her, teasing her, _driving her so close to the edge_ , but never bringing her there.

Abby moaned, tangling her fingers through his hair, her hips rising to take more of him in, _craving release._

“ _Marcus.”_

Her moans died down into another breathy cry. Through half close eyelids she saw him smirk. _She knew that he was enjoying torturing her too much._

That was when her phone rung.

Something froze inside Abby, both of them knowing that only one person would be calling her at this time of night.

But any tiniest of thoughts she had about possibly answering the phone evaporated when she felt a finger slip inside her, then a second and a third. He sat up to kiss her sweaty hair then buried his mouth into her neck, whispering, _“_ Don’t answer it.”

Like hell Abby was going to let this stop now.

She rode his fingers hard and fast, moaning his name over and over again, and by the time she came with a blinding flash of white behind her eyes, neither of them could hear the phone ring for the third time.

Abby buried her face into the curve between his neck and shoulder, taking a moment to come back down. She pressed a few clumsy kisses to his neck, his jaw and then his lips, murmuring, “God you are incredible.”

Marcus caught her lips in a passionate kiss, sucking the air out of her body. Abby sighed contently into his lips, biting his lips playfully when they pulled apart. Her hands began to trail down his chest and towards the rim of his pants, her tone a husky whisper, “Now to let me take care of this.”  

She began to slowly grind up against him once more, drawing a groan from his lips. “God Abby, you will be the death of me.”

Then he rolled her onto her back in one swift move, drawing a squeal and a string of laughter from her lips. His heart raced a mile a minute at her infectious laughs. Marcus blinked down at her bright golden brown eyes and wild curls long since loose from her bun and radiating smile, and wondered if he would ever get tired of her laughter.

“Marcus,” Abby said with breathy laugh, watching his lose gaze with humour. “You’re staring.”

His lips turned into a lopsided smile. “Can’t help it.” Then his lips claimed hers again, and again, and again, drawing a moan from her throat. He breathed into her lips, “You’re gorgeous.”

Her mind barely had a moment to process his heart melting words, too caught up in the inferno of desire flaring around them and swallowing them whole. Abby arched her body up, wanting him to hurry up and cover her completely. _How was she craving his touch already?_ She felt him smirk beneath her lips before he lowered himself on top of her, his hands running pleasurable up her arms then trapping her arms up above her head, his body pinning her to the blanket like a barrier between him and the world.

Abby moaned under his kisses. She was arching up, yet sinking further and further into the blanket under his weight, every light touch dancing over her breast and teasing up her thigh, every melting kiss on her ear and down the valley between her breasts, making her dissolve into a pool of liquid.

Abby wriggled her hips once more, fingers untangling from his hair, clawing down his bare back and tugging at the waist of his pants.

_He was unbearably hard against her._

Neither of them heard the phone ring at first.

A quiet ring that that was easily swallowed up by the sounds of their cries and moans and the rustle of clothes being pulled and carelessly thrown to the side. They heard it again, but neither of them could register it over the waves of blinding pleasure building within them as they plunged into each other long and hard, _and he filled her so completely._

It was only when they had come back down from their high, dressed once more – given the chilly weather – their limbs tangled together and bodies pressed together, did they hear it ring.

But this time it was different. Without being lost to each other, they could actually hear the ring tone. It was…it was…

“That’s not my phone,” Abby said suddenly.

Marcus’s heart skipped a precious beat, a frown gradually pinching his features. “No…it’s mine.”

Their heads turned to Marcus’s phone lying a few feet away from the blankets, where it buzzed to life, ringing a short melody. Tensing for a second, he reluctantly untangled himself from Abby’s embrace and went to pick up the phone – reading an unknown number on his screen - before he answered.

“Hello?”

Abby watched him talk, surprise quickly morphing into concern when she watched Marcus’s eyes widened, hear his tone hitch and roughen with anxiety as he spoke, _‘I’m sorry, I haven’t seen her.’_

 Yet even before Marcus had answered the phone, Abby had known who he was talking too. When Marcus hung up, he stared at the phone for a few seconds, and then turned to Abby with a deep frown and a worried look that mirrored hers.

“How did Thelonious get my number?”

Abby just shook her head slowly, and whispered, “I don’t know.”

A new chill took the air, but not even Marcus’s warm arms and reassuring kisses could warm her up.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, the next chapter. Thank you for being so patient, and please leave me your thoughts they always make my day :) To think that I originally wasn't going to have a kabby sex scene here. *laughs* All I wanna do is see kabby make out I'm such trash. 
> 
> Just a quick note: the next update may take quite a while so please be patient. I'm just buried with uni right now. But I have the next chapter planned and the wait will definitely be worth it!


	5. Caught

**Caught**

_Nine Years Earlier…_

Sometimes Abby tried to remember what life was like before Marcus entered into their little family.

Abby half stood and floated chest deep in the ocean, watching Marcus and Clarke emerge from the crowd of trees and onto the wooden-deck lookout high up on the mountain, when she realised. She couldn’t imagine a family without Marcus. He was the brother Jake never had, the cool Uncle Clarke had always dreamed about, and the best friend that Abby never knew she needed.

_Since when had Marcus become such an important person in her life?_

Abby breathed out a small laugh when she saw Marcus scoop a bright faced and giggly Clarke into his arms, lifting her high up so her tiny hands could reach the edge of the wooden railings surrounding the observation deck. With his hands wrapped securely around her body to support her, Clarke poked her head above the railings and searched for her Mom. She waved down when she spotted her, yelling something that Abby couldn’t quite hear. Abby smiled and waved back from the ocean nonetheless, laughing once more when she saw the silly tongue-tied puffy-cheeked faces Clarke and Marcus were pulling at her.

Abby suddenly wished that she hadn’t left her camera – her waterproof gopro no bigger than the palm of her hand - back on the beach. Abby wanted to snap a shot of Marcus and Clarke up there, grinning and waving like a couple of goofballs, and make this memory last forever.

Abby held so many precious memories of her trips to the Hill Inlet lookout – the romantic sunset picnics she and Jake had taken on the deck, the first kiss she had up there that made her float ten feet high, the hundreds of profile-worthy pictures she had taken up there, leaning against the railing in front of the gorgeous ocean view, with her hair fluttering in the air.

Abby was only disappointed that Jake couldn’t be up there holding Clarke instead of Marcus, but tried to take joy in the fact that Marcus and Clarke were able to spend some quality time together. Marcus adored Clarke, and Abby having hiked up the mountain to see the lookout numerous times before, was glad to sit out and let Marcus share this special moment with her daughter.

Lately Jake had been so busy campaigning for the upcoming election that he hadn’t had time to take Clarke out to the islands. Abby knew that it killed her husband to work so much throughout the week, knowing how important these weekend trips were to Clarke, especially since it was manta ray season and she wanted to get out here and take some photos of some for her scrapbook. Fortunately, Marcus had offered to take Clarke out to Hill Inlet today, which Abby was grateful for, knowing that this was the only day off he got every week.

Abby watched Clarke with a fond smile, seeing the way her daughter’s face lit up with wonder when Marcus pointed out another sight she could see from their view above, and could imagine all of the island’s native dreamtime stories that Marcus was telling Clarke. After all, Marcus had told her those stories too.

It wasn’t long before Marcus and Clarke had finished seeing and talking about all they could see from their view up there, and Abby saw them disappear back into the forest. She wondered if she should leave the water and run up and meet them, but between the cool breeze already nipping her wet arms every time they stroked through the water, and the light and cool water cocooning around her skin and lapping pleasurably around her chest, Abby couldn’t bring herself to leave.

So she met Marcus and Clarke halfway, walking towards the shore until she was waist deep in the water as Marcus came down hand in hand with Clarke, splashing water as they treaded into the ocean.

Abby’s features instantly lit up into a smile when she saw her daughter, cheeks flushed and giddy with excitement. Abby wondered if Clarke had felt like she did when she leant over the railings high above the ocean and sand for the first time, _like she was flying._

“So, how was it?” Abby asked.

Clarke grinned. “It’s so pretty! You were right Mom, you can see _everything_ from up there. And Marcus said that curlews live there and come out at nightfall. How cool is that? He said that he can bring us back here tomorrow night so I can take some photos and add them to my photo collection.”

Abby raised an eyebrow and glanced at Marcus. “Did he now?”

Reading her questioning yet disapproving expression, Marcus quickly raised his hands in defence. “Hey, I said I would love to take Clarke out again, but I didn’t make any promises.”

Abby was still frowning when she turned back to Clarke. “Clarke, you know that we have dinner plans tomorrow. Thelonious is coming around, and I thought that you wanted to help me make the dessert?”

Clarke looked dejected. “But that was before Marcus said that he could take us here to see the curlews. Come on, _please Mom?_ He’s your and Dad’s friend, _not mine._ All he ever talks about is work anyway. It’s boring.”

Abby’s lips curled into an amused smile at her daughter and let out a small sigh, as if considering her answer. She turned back to Marcus and said, “The view does sound gorgeous at night.”

Marcus lifted his eyes up, a little curious. “You’ve never been?”

Abby shook her head. “I don’t have a boating license and Jake never has any time or reason to take us here at night. Besides, I’ve never been particularly fond of walking through the woods in the dark,” she said with a small shiver. She eyed Clarke for a moment, then “But I think Clarke is right. Thelonious is _our_ friend and not hers, so I don’t see why she shouldn’t be able to come.” Abby paused, casting Marcus a concerned look. “Are you sure though? I know you’re working tomorrow morning and I don’t want this to trouble you-“

But Marcus waved her off, shaking his head with a warm smile. “Of course it’s no trouble. I adore Clarke. I’m doing a night time tourist hike through there anyway, so Clarke can tag along.” He paused, hesitating, then “Maybe I could bring you back here at night one day though? The view is incredible, and sometimes if you’re lucky, you can see shooting stars.”

Abby’s features softened into a smile and she tilted her head down in a small nod. “It sounds magical. I’d like that.”

Clearly bored of the conversations between the two adults, Clarke said, “Mom, can I go back? I think I saw some rays over there.”

Abby looked down at her daughter and nodded. “Of course. Just don’t swim too-“

But Clarke had already took off and plunged back into the ocean, her attention always short and excitement rushing high when she was at the Whitsundays.

“Far,” Abby finished quietly, letting out a heavy breath as she watched her daughter swim further and further out.

“She’s a strong swimmer,” Marcus commented, watching Clarke swim.

Abby knew that he was right, but she couldn’t stop the stab of fear shooting through her chest as she watched her daughter. She called out, “Clarke, unless you’re going to bring your noodle come back! I don’t want you out that far.”

Clarke lifted her head up and rolled her eyes, before she swam back closer to shore as instructed. 

Abby breathed a little easier. She turned her attention back to Marcus and said, “She is a strong swimmer, and she’s a risk taker too. Clarke certainly didn’t get those traits from me.”

Abby paused and cast another anxious look at Clarke. Marcus was right, Clarke was a strong swimmer, winning two gold medals in the little legends swimming contests she entered, and proving herself to be an even stronger swimmer than Abby (although according to Jake, they could throw their cat Pumpernickel into the pool and she would swim better than Abby).

Abby frowned. “Clarke always wants to swim far but hates bringing her noodle, she thinks it slows her down. She’s stubborn like that.”

Marcus’s lips twitched into a small smile. “Just like her Mother then?”

Abby shot him an irritated look and splashed him. He chuckled in response.

“Abby, Clarke is fine. She’s proved herself to be a strong swimmer time and time again. I think we can trust her.”

Abby shook her head, and saw that her daughter once again had gotten lost chasing a baby ray far out from shore. “Still, I would feel safer if you stuck with her. She enjoys your company out in the ocean, and only thinks that I slow her down when I’m with her.”

Marcus knew that just like himself, Clarke felt like she was in her natural element when she was in the water. On some level, he could sort of understand why Clarke got annoyed when Abby snorkelled with her, like a Mother entering their teenage son’s bedroom, an invasion of privacy.

Marcus felt privileged to know that Clarke was always happy to snorkel with Marcus.

“I’d love to go out there,” Marcus began, suddenly looking a little sheepish. “But I was kind of hoping to return to the project I was working on.”

Abby frowned, looking past Marcus to where their belongings and Marcus’s art book lay on the sand. “The drawing?”

Marcus nodded.

“But you’ve been working on that drawing for an hour,” Abby protested.

She understood why he wanted to draw, _of course she did._ Hill Inlet was beautiful. The sand was so fine that from a distance, it looked like blankets of white silk spreading around the islands and burying the ends of the coconut trees. The crystal blue water was as pure and clean as it felt when she submerged underneath. The abundance of wildlife lurking in the forest practically called to be captured in a picture perfect art piece. Abby was sure that there were gorgeous sights that the inner artist within Marcus was bursting to draw.

But at the same time god dammit, Marcus didn’t see them often, and she thought that he would want to spend some time with his family.

“What can I say? I was inspired today. Look, i promise that this won’t take long, I’ve almost finished the drawing anyway. I want to spend time with Clarke too, you know I do. Just ten more minutes, okay?”

Abby studied him for a moment, knowing just how caught in his work Marcus could get, before ten minutes would turn into twenty and then thirty, and with his busy schedule, who knows when he’d next get the chance to spend time with Clarke on this island again? 

Then an idea slowly formed in her head. “And what if I say no?”

Marcus tilted his head to the side at her response, unsure. Then a wicked grin spread across Abby’s lips. She grasped his wrists and took a step back towards the ocean, tugging him with her. Marcus looked down, an amused smile crawling onto his lips. _Did Abby really think that she had a chance of overpowering him and pushing him into the water?_

“Abby,” he began, warning clear in his tone. “Come on, I’m still wearing my shirt.”

He was too. Something Marcus rarely did unless the sun was scorching hot and he was still recovering from sunburn. Abby just flashed him a teasing smile and shrugged as she pulled him further into the water. “Should have thought of that before you walked down here then.”

Marcus decided to humour her for a little, protesting yet letting her pull him deeper and deeper in, knowing that he could easily stop her and leave at anytime, and well, _he was enjoying_ this playful side of Abby Griffin.

He stopped when he was hip deep and Abby was standing just over the edge of the shore leading to a drop in the ocean. He buried his feet securely into the sand, stable.

Abby released his wrists but she was still grinning. “Sometimes you underestimate me Marcus.”

Then she turned and walked backwards towards the shore. She ran forwards, jumping onto Marcus and wrapping her arms and legs around him. The shocking move knocked Marcus off his balance, and just like Abby had hoped, the two tumbled into the water.

Marcus emerged with Abby still holding onto him, her legs wrapped around his waist, laughing. Marcus shook his head, unable to help the chuckle that escaped his lips. Abby untangled herself from him and paddled back a bit on her own until her toes were just touching the ground. Marcus did the same to find his grounding too.

“So,” Abby said with a grin, clearly pleased with herself. “Are you going to tell me what you’ve been drawing that’s so clearly important?”

Although she said that in a teasing tone, Abby genuinely loved Marcus’s creative passion and how easily he got lost in his creative work – something he and Clarke had in common. Abby could recall the countless nights Clarke stayed up well and truly past her bedtime sketching spectacular drawings of everything nature, from wild flowers to the stars and the Milky Way spread across space.

Marcus brushed his wet hair away from his eyes – another habit of Marcus that Abby loved, not that she’d ever admit that to herself – and replied, “Ah, just a project I’ve been working on for a while.”

Abby arched an eyebrow, curious now. “Oh? And do you plan on sharing this drawing with us?”

Marcus smiled. “Not a chance. You know I don’t share easily, especially when it’s not finished yet.”

Abby’s smile slowly grew wider, her eyes sparkling now. “And what’s to stop me from running back to the beach and stealing it then?”

Marcus suddenly grasped her wrists and Abby inhaled sharply, excitement fluttering in her chest and racing under her skin. She continued mischievously, “I don’t think it will be that hard.”

“Oh really?”

Then Marcus pulled Abby towards him, bubbling laughter from her chest as he lifted her by the waist and swung her around in the air, before pulling them both back underneath the water. They emerged together, Abby coughing and splashing a chuckling Marcus with water.

Marcus grinned. “You were saying?”

“My turn! My turn!”

They turned their heads to Clarke who was bolting over to them now, before jumping onto Marcus. He lifted her giggly into the air, spinning her around before both of them plunged back into the water together.

Abby laughed as she watched the two of them emerge with Clarke now sitting on Marcus’s shoulders, her elated laughter and Marcus’s adoring smile making Abby’s heart bloom with love.

Once again, Abby found herself thinking how strange it was that she had been married for ten years, been a Mother for five of those years, and had only known Marcus for one year, yet he had walked in and fulfilled their lives so completely.

It was like he had been the missing piece to their little family.

…

_Present day…_

Marcus had barely parked the boat before Clarke had grabbed a pair of snorkel and goggles and with a rushed ‘ _going now, see ya!’_ dived off the edge of the boat, spraying them all with salt water.

It had been eighteen years since the three of them had first visited this island together, yet Clarke’s radiating smile and joyous cries as she plunged into the ocean stirred memories of that precious day, so vivid that it only felt like days since she last saw little Clarke and Marcus swimming together here.

Abby glanced at Marcus and knew from the fond smile playing on his lips and the reminiscent look in his gaze that he was remembering that day too.

It was then that Abby realised, for the first time all day, they were alone.

Neither of them had mentioned last night. It wasn’t like they were avoiding the subject, but rather, Clarke had been around all day and neither of them wanted to drag her into this mess. So they had been careful, keeping their distance, staying next to each other’s side but never quite touching, fingers brushing together but never quite intertwining together, Abby’s bright eyes lingering on his but never quite falling to his lips that she had been burning to kiss all day.

With Clarke around, it had been easy to avoid the topic, to spend time together as if Marcus and Abby were still friends and nothing had changed. They fell back into step quickly, chatting, laughing, teasing each other and joking around like the tight knit family they had once been. 

Now with Clarke gone, it was harder to ignore.

Marcus was gathering their beach bags and towels and lifted his head up, asking “Should we go set up now then?”

Maybe Marcus was finding this a lot easier than her.

The two of them walked silently side by side along the beach, content to relish in the whooshing sounds of water surging towards the shore and the choppy sploshes as it lapped at the sand.

It happened slowly at first, Marcus’s fingers just brushing against hers, before his hand swung next to hers again and his fingers hooked around hers, lacing their hands together.

Abby’s heart pounded for a few quick beats, shooting a rush of exhilaration within her that chased away all her doubts and guilt and inhibitions. She squeezed his hand too.

Abby was forgetting the golden ring on her finger more and more every day. Forgetting that Clarke was just in the water and would surely raise an eyebrow at the hand-holding gesture. Unable to resist the temptation, Abby turned to find Marcus’s eyes, her pulse accelerating once more when she caught his warm eyes watching her.

Abby managed to tear her eyes away. They continued walking for a few more moments before she gradually slowed her steps. “Should we set up here?”

Marcus examined the spot she had picked, a flat hill of sand under the shade of a couple of coconut trees. He nodded, dropping their belongings to the ground. Abby lifted her head up and shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand, spotting Clarke just as she bobbed up from the water and yelled, “Marcus, I found a school of manta rays! Hurry up and get in here, and bring the gopro!”

Then in the blink of an eye she was underneath again.

Marcus repressed a small chuckle, eyeing the ocean fondly. “She looks so happy out there.” 

Abby shimmied out of her sundress and readjusted the strap of her bikini, smiling. “She does.” She sat down on her beach towel and watched Clarke. “I haven’t seen her this happy in years. I suggest you get out there with her soon, Clarke’s grown up, but her impatience hasn’t changed.”

Marcus smiled as he pulled off his shirt. “What about you?”

Abby picked up her tube of sunscreen, displaying it in the sunlight. “I need to apply, and there’s a twenty minute wait rule. You know how easily I burn.”

Marcus nodded with an amused look, remembering all too well the times Abby burned as red as a cooked lobster when she didn’t wait the twenty minutes.

Thinking about it now, perhaps it wouldn’t hurt for him to apply some more on, at least just on his face where he usually burnt the most. Marcus was usually pretty relaxed about these things – a bad habit given the common scorching summer sun here -  but he had been burnt badly the other day and was not going to risk it again. So he sat back down and the two went to apply.

Once again, Abby found herself falling deeper into her thoughts as she rubbed the lotion on her skin. She knew that they’d have to talk about last night at some point; they couldn’t avoid the subject forever. And yet Abby didn’t know how she wanted this conversation to unfold.

All she knew was that she was a principled person who had given her word that she would marry Thelonious, a good and compassionate and principled man who she had once truly believed that she would grow to love, and betraying him would go against all of her values. And yet…yet the very thought of leaving Marcus killed her.

One thing was clear though. Keeping her distance from Marcus today felt impossibly difficult, and the chemistry between them was harder to fight than they believed.

“Do we really have to wait twenty minutes?” Marcus was reading the back of the sunscreen with a puzzled frown. “You think they would have invented faster acting sunscreen by now.”

Abby parted her lips to respond when she saw the bits of unrubbed sunscreen on his eyebrows, her words quickly dissolving into a giggle. “Marcus, you have a bit of sunscreen there,” she pointed above his eyebrow.

Watching him hopelessly try and find the spot, she leaned forward on her knees and rubbed the cream in for him. He gave her a lopsided smile in return. Then Abby noticed that he hadn’t applied on his back, and frowned.

“Did you want me to do your back?”

Marcus’s eyes widened a little, as if she had suggested that he strip naked. “My back?”

“Well I don’t want you to burn. Come on, lie down.”

Still surprised at her request, Marcus obliged, lying down on his stomach.

He quickly learned just what Abby’s intentions were.

In seconds she was swinging one leg over his thigh and straddling his arse, squeezing sunscreen onto her hands. Marcus swallowed thickly, desperately trying to fight the desire flooding south within him. Then he felt cool cream against his back, her hands rubbing it slowly into his skin, too slowly and dare he say it, _sensually_ for someone who was just doing a friend a favour. She rubbed the cream all over him; up his broad shoulders and down the backs of his arms, all over his back and down until her hands just touched the waistband of his board shorts.

The cream was rubbed in, yet her hands kept on going; squeezing into his skin, fingers running down his spin, drawing sharp breaths from his mouth and making him shudder. It wasn’t just her hands either, but her hips that pressed further up against his arse as her hands worked over him, the ends of her hair tickling his back…

Marcus turned his head around to look up at her. “I think you’re enjoying this too much.”

Abby’s eyes glimmered as she wriggled her hips experimentally some more, and a groan tumbled from his lips. “Not as much as you.”

Abby was being reckless with her daughter only down in the ocean, but she had been struggling to keep her distance away from Marcus all day. And when Marcus had reached for her hand before, it was like her body had burst into flames, burning for his touch. So when the opportunity came, how could she resist teasing him?

Not wanting to push their luck and have Clarke spot them, Abby quickly dismounted him. In a flash, Marcus sat up and rolled Abby onto her back in two swift moves, straddling her waist. Abby laughed as he pinned her arms above her forehead, her breath catching in her throat as he lowered his face towards hers.

“This was your plan all along, wasn’t it?” he asked, smiling wickedly.

 Abby raised her wide eyes innocently, biting back a grin. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Marcus raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Oh really?”

Then he brushed his mouth against her neck, dragging long, biting kisses down her neck. He continued to pepper kisses down her chest, burying his mouth between her breasts. Abby inhaled sharply, her shallow breaths quickly shattering into a moan. “Marcus, what are you doing?”

Still smirking, Marcus nibbled the curve of her ear and murmured, “Finding a way to kill those twenty minutes.”

“Clarke is just down there, and if she sees us, what we’re doing now will raise… _questions._ ”

Marcus stopped his ministrations and lifted an eyebrow. “And you sitting on top of me earlier wouldn’t have done that?”

Abby shot him a look. “Well it would have been more explainable than _this_.”

Marcus glanced to Clarke, who was still under water, oblivious to the two of them.

So Marcus dipped his head down and brushed his lips ever so lightly against hers. Abby’s lips instantly parted, she leant up to chase down his kiss just as he pulled away. Her head fell back against the sand in frustration. “Tease.”

Marcus grinned and rolled his hips up against hers, enjoying the pleasure that crumbled over her features. “Payback’s a bitch.”

Then he kissed her softly.

They were playing a dangerous game, making out like a couple of horny teenagers when her daughter wasn’t far away. It was only when Marcus tickled her sides, causing her to break their kiss laughing did Abby finally find the self-control to push him away with a stern look and a, _‘If Clarke sees us…”_

Knowing that Clarke would soon be wondering where they were – and that the twenty minute sunscreen wait was well and truly over now – the two of them scrambled up and hurried back down into the water.

It wasn’t long before the shock of what she and Marcus had done and the realisation that they could have been caught settled in. Yet she remembered how exhilarating she felt being with Marcus so out in the open, her heart pounding wildly with adrenaline and body trembling at the thought of getting caught, adding to the excitement and pleasure she felt when Marcus pinned her down onto the sand and kissed her senseless.

The sensations were powerful and terrifying and heaven all at once. 

It was an addictive feeling, this public affair.

…

Their morning quickly turned into the afternoon, their rumbling stomachs dragging them out of the ocean and back to the beach for lunch.

Abby was sitting on her towel, eating a muesli bar and flipping through the photos that they had captured on the gopro that day. She laughed between bites of her apricot bar, seeing shots of Clarke sitting on Marcus’s shoulder, a hundred selfies of Clarke sticking her tongue out with cheesy grins, recordings of numerous fish and coral and colourful wildlife, a close up photo of Marcus’s butt with Clarke pointing at it from the corner of the screen, a great picture of her and Clare going to tackle Marcus from behind as he went to take a selfie, and a hundred photos of Abby laughing with her daughter.

There were so many photos, and Abby knew that Clarke would struggle to choose which ones to put in her scrapbook.

Abby finished her muesli bar and turned around to search for Clarke, finding her daughter sitting next to Marcus a few feet away, showing him her recent drawings. Abby saw the proud smile broke over his face as he flipped through her art book.    

Even after their years apart, they were still so close. They were family. And Abby was so thankful that her previous mistake of cutting Marcus out of their lives hadn’t ruined that. She couldn’t help but think with wonder, how special Marcus and Clarke’s relationship was. They had something special together, firstly connected over their love for the sea and art, but their bond had grown stronger over the years as they developed a stronger connection built on more than just common interests. Respect. Trust. Love. Feelings that Clarke had only ever held for her parents before she had met Marcus. Abby couldn’t quite label their close friendship, but it was special…that was as close as she could put it.

 It wasn’t long before the three of them had finished their lunch and dressed, and Abby was wondering if they should be leaving soon, when Clarke asked, “Hey, before we go, can we go check out the glow worms?”

Abby frowned. “The glow worms? You want to see them now?”

Clarke lifted her shoulder up in a shrug and curled her cheek up in a _‘why not?’_ expression. “I’d like to see them some time, and we’re already down here.”

Abby cast Marcus a glance, who mirrored Clarke’s questioning expression. “I don’t see why not. It’s only a fifteen minute walk.”

“For you slow pokes maybe,” Clarke said with a grin, already standing up and brushing the sand from her body. “I can do it in five.”

Clarke was already collecting the gopro and slipping her shorts and tank top on, casting Marcus and Abby an impatient stare. “Well, are we going then?”

Abby eyed her daughter for a weary second. Honestly, sometimes she wondered where Clarke got her impatience and unlimited energy from.

However, Marcus too was standing up and putting his shirt back on, before casting Clarke a challenging stare. “Five minutes? Do you want to race to that?”

Clarke met his stare with equal determination, grinning. “Bring it on old man.”

Then they were off, sprinting across the sand, past the boulders and disappearing into the forest. Abby blinked, once, twice, recovering from the shock before she too quickly scrambled up, slipped her sundress and sandals back on, and chased after the two of them.

Abby reached the trail and gradually slowed down to a comfortable pace, sandals crunching over dried leaves and twigs. She took a moment to inhale deeply and enjoy the salty fresh air, admiring the rustle of wildlife and cool shade from the arching tree branches and lush leaves sheltering her.

Deciding that she didn’t want to keep the others waiting for long, Abby picked up her speed once more, racing until she crossed the wooden bridge and made it to the open cave. She stepped inside, feeling ten times cooler and seeing nothing but suffocating darkness, as if someone had enveloped her in a blanket. She walked further inside, blindly following the one way trail down the cave, until she saw the glow worms. _It was like she was in space standing under a galaxy_ , hundreds of emerald/silvery drops of light raining above and around her, like pin-prick luminous orbs floating in darkness. 

It had been years since Abby had last been here. Now she felt like she was lost, slowly circling around to take it all in, leaning over the railings to try and get closer, walking on, navigating her way through the darkness-

_Crash!_

Abby stumbled into a body. She lifted her face up, nose brushing against soft material and chin pressing onto a firm chest, hands quickly flying towards his shoulders. She instantly heard a familiar chuckle that sent her pulse sprinting, and felt familiar hands resting on her waist. Abby closed her eyes and breathed in the musky ocean scent, burying her face deeper into Marcus’s chest.

She felt his whisper in warm puffs of air near her ear. “Hey.”

Abby lifted her head up, and found herself softly laughing too as she whispered back, “Hey.”

She slid her hands over his shoulders to cup his face, gentle fingers running over the slope of his nose, mapping out his features and painting a picture of his face in the dark. She ran her thumb over his mouth and felt a smile pull at Marcus’s lips, sending her lips melting into a giddy smile of her own.

“I can’t see a thing,” Abby whispered, because she suddenly felt the need too.

She felt his fingers curl deeper into her waist, and she was pulled forward with a small gasp, her chest crashing against his. Abby’s eyes fluttered shut at the familiarity of his body, soft and firm all at once, smothering her with heat.

“You know,” Marcus whispered hoarsely into her ear, sending a shiver licking up her spine. “All this darkness is giving me ideas.”

Abby felt his hands slide slowly up and down her sides, and she softened further into his touch. Smirking, she whispered back huskily “Oh really? And what kind of ideas is that?”

Marcus squeezed her arse playfully in response before he went to cover her mouth with his. Blinded by the darkness, Marcus bumped her nose with his as he went to do so, the kiss just missing her mouth. Laughing, Abby angled her head up to capture his mouth properly, her arms coming to tangle around his neck.

In that moment, it felt like the world had dropped dead and it was just them and the glow worms that shone like stars, making it _so easy_ for Abby to forget where they were and who they were and just surrender herself to him completely.

So she kept on kissing him, slowly and tenderly, moaning into his parted lips, tongue dancing with his and exploring her mouth, as if she wanted to learn and taste _and feel_ everything his kiss could offer.

Marcus’s hands slid underneath the backs of her thighs and up her dress, cool fingers caressing her waist and exploring her skin. Then his fingers went to tickle her ribs, and she was laughing in-between kisses again.

“God, I am in love with your laugh.”

Abby tried to sound firm as she chided, “ _Marcus_ ,” because it may be dark but this cave could echo.

Marcus went to nibble her ear and squeeze her arse playfully – uncaring that her endearing laughter could echo down the cave - and swallowed her giggles and protests in heart-stopping kisses.

_God how he loved her._

Marcus wanted to lift her up into his arms and spin her around the air like he had remembered doing so many times before, just so he can hear that infectious laugh once more. He wanted to tell her just how much he loves her until her eyes bloom wide and bright with love too.

But he didn’t.

Instead Marcus continued to kiss her, passionately, _desperately,_ as if praying for a landslide that could keep them locked in this cave, alone, _forever._ He peppered kisses down her jaw, the slope of her neck, her shoulder, the dip between her breasts…navigating through the darkness, guided by her quickening pants and shattering moans. Tangling her fingers through his hair, Abby guided his mouth back up to hers, drinking him in.

Marcus kissed her as if it would be their last. He kissed her until she was tingly and liquid warm all over. He kissed her until she felt herself dissolving in his arms and melting into his body. He kissed her into blinding oblivion.

Then she murmured, “I’m so happy.”

Abby buried her face into his chest, warm and dizzy and feeling _absolutely high_ on Marcus’s kisses, she managed to draw the words from her rumbling chest once more, “You make me so happy.”

Abby felt him freeze in her arms, but only briefly. Then she felt his fingers slide further up her back, as if he could gather her tighter into his arms, and he whispered, “Then don’t marry him…marry me.”

Her heart jumped into her throat. Abby lifted her head up, eyes trying to search through the thin veils of darkness to his eyes. “What?”

“You heard me.”

Abby blinked, her heart racing now but for all the wrong reasons. “You don’t mean that.”

“I love you,” Marcus replied simply. “God Abby, I am in love with you…if marriage is what you want, if this is what you need for me to be with you…I want to be with you.”

Then he continued to mummer the words over again, down her neck, across her collarbone, into her hair, gradually sending her body melting back into his once more…

_I love you…I love you…I love you…marry me_

And when he kissed her again, Abby saw stars. With Marcus, she forgot who she was, yet remembered who she used to be and the _very best parts of herself_ , at the same time. With Marcus, time stood still and the world was bursting lights of fire and swirling darkness and electricity.

With Marcus, Abby felt her morals waver, yet she remembered what it felt like to love like this again.

“Mom, Marcus, you have to see this!”

Clarke’s cries echoed down the cave, and they broke apart instantly. Abby looked up at him with worried eyes. _How long had they been here for?_

“We need to go,” Abby whispered.

She knew she should say more, Marcus deserved for her to say more. But Clarke was calling for her, and it was easier to run back to her daughter than deal with the overwhelming conflicting emotions battling within her.

So Abby squeezed his hand before she took a step back, and then another, her fingers slowly slipping from his as she turned to hurry away.

…

They were back on the boat, powering smoothly across the calm waves.

Abby was leaning against the railings, watching Clarke steer the boat with Marcus’s guidance, a proud smile spreading across her lips when he praised her on her improving boating skills. Abby smiled as she watched the two of them chat and laugh at their own private jokes, and thought that at the first glance, anyone would think that they were Father and Daughter.

Abby turned away and walked around to the back of the deck, remembering the artwork that Marcus had been showing Clarke earlier there. Clarke had been excited to see Marcus’s work – she had always loved his pictures– and he hadn’t let her down, showing her the sketches and oil paintings he had done over the years.

Marcus had suggested that Clarke have a go at driving the boat and she had been so excited, that she had immediately shot up and dragged Marcus away. So Marcus’s sketchbooks laid splayed open on the deck, forgotten, and all it would take is one choppy wave for the book to fly off the boat.

Abby walked over and went down onto her knees to pick up the books. Then she stayed there on the deck, coming to sit on the backs of her feet, the picture on her lap. She stayed there longer than intended.

Marcus had proposed to her.

And Abby had run.

Marcus deserved an honest answer from her, she knew that. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to go over there and tell him how she truly felt. That over the period of just a couple of weeks, she had fallen head over heels for him.

Abby wasn’t sure if this was love. At one point in her life, she truly believed that she would never be able to love again. But what she was feeling now _, it was something._ The right thing to do would be to end the affair with Marcus before they got any further, or leave Thelonious.

But she couldn’t do either.

Maybe Abby was being selfish. No. _She knew she was being selfish._ The affair was wrong, but it was easy. Abby didn’t have to face the consequences of leaving Thelonious – _and there would be consequence –_ and her own guilt over betraying her fiancée, yet she could still be with Marcus, who made her feel happier than she had felt in years.

But she knew what Marcus’s proposal had meant, although he hadn’t said it.

He was giving her a choice.

Finally, Marcus was asking her to choose.

Abby imagined that betraying Thelonious was torturing his heart as much as it was for her.

He was giving her a choice, and Abby was caught. Caught between her head and her heart. Caught between a promise and her heart’s desires.

Caught in a love affair she couldn’t bring herself to leave.

 “Mom?”

Abby startled, blinking eyes meeting her daughter’s concerned gaze. Abby breathed out a small sigh of relief. “Hey honey. I thought you were driving the boat?”

Clarke sank down next to her Mother, her eyes briefly flickering to Marcus’s art book in her lap. “The wind picked up again and the waves got a little choppy, so I let him take the wheel back.” Clarke studied her Mother, sensing her worries through her attempted smile. “Mom, what’s wrong?”

“What? Clarke, nothing’s wrong.”

Clarke frowned a little, watching her Mother play with the ends of her sundress absentmindedly, then “It’s Marcus, isn’t it?”

Abby stopped, but remained silent.

Clarke pushed on. “He loves you, you know.”

Abby’s eyes snapped up, worry drumming in her ears. “What?”

Clarke lifted her shoulder up in a shrug and smiled slightly. “I see the way he looks at you. He loves you. And you love him too, don’t you?”

Abby closed her eyes briefly and breathed out a small sigh. “Clarke, of course I love Marcus. But-“

“No, not in that way,” Clarke cut her Mother off. “Mom, I see the way you look at him, when you were swimming together before and when you two were on the beach, you haven’t looked at anyone like that since Dad. So why are you sitting out here instead of being with him?”

Abby took in a heavy breath, her eyes softening wearily. “Clarke, Marcus and I, we-“ she stopped, a little lost for words again. “It’s complicated.”

But Clarke was just shaking her head. “No, it isn’t. Mom, you love him. He clearly loves you. God, he never stops talking about you.” She reached for Abby’s hand, searching her eyes. “Mom, I know Marcus left you that time, I know that he hurt you then. I still remember. But he loves you, and you’ve forgiven him, and _I know_ you love him. You can’t marry Thelonious.”

“Clarke, I have too. It would be wrong of me not too. Thelonious loves me and I-I do care about him, deeply. I couldn’t hurt him. It would be wrong.”

Clarke shrugged. “Maybe. But it would be wrong of you to marry someone you don’t love, and let him live with the belief that you do. It’s not fair to you or Thelonious…or to Marcus either. _You need to tell Marcus how you feel._ He deserves at least that.”

Abby stared at her daughter, a little shocked at her daughter’s words of wisdom. She was silent for a moment, and then “Since when did you become so wise?”

Clarke shrugged, smiling. “I learned from my Mother.”

Then she kissed her Mom on the cheek and walked away.

Abby watched Clarke disappear behind the front of the boat. Then she went to flip through Marcus’s book, smiling pensively as she examined his work, sketches of tourists sitting at the coffee shops, colourful sketches of the ocean and sunset and tropical fish in vibrant colours-

Abby gasped, her heart swelling painfully in her chest.

_“What can I say? I was inspired today.”_

Marcus’s words from eighteen years ago drifted back to her as she stared at the next drawing.

 It was her.

A sketch of a younger Abigail Griffin, back when she wore her hair in a braid and preferred denim shorts and tank tops over sundresses. She was sketched in intricate black and grey lines, and it looked like she was trying to tug someone along behind her. Judging from the grey ocean waves behind her, she and the mysterious person behind her were at the beach. She was looking over her shoulder too, her wet braid to the side and eyes bright with an endearing smile. The woman in the picture was so happy, radiating like a burst of sunshine at the break of dawn.

_She looked beautiful._

Abby remembered that day from eighteen years ago so clearly. Clarke running up ahead of them as Abby tugged Marcus along behind her, willing him to hurry up, throwing her head back and teasing him for being so slow.

_She had been the special project he had been working on all day._

Suddenly, Abby wondered just how long Marcus has been in love with her for.

Abby remembered Marcus’s marriage proposal to her in the cave, his electric kisses that breathed life into her and the way he looked at her that morning on the beach. In her mind, she saw his kind eyes and heart-stopping smile and from a distance, heard him chuckling with Clarke.

Abby slipped the sketch of younger Abby Griffin back inside his art book, collected the rest of Marcus’s art work and headed back inside the yacht. She tried to forget all about his marriage proposal.

Then she imagined a different Abby Griffin, one who wasn’t afraid to jump and fall and trust her heart and take this chance. Another Abby Griffin who threw the art books aside and ran back to Marcus, uncaring to the witness of her daughter as she jumped into Marcus’s arms and kissed him senseless, losing herself in his warmth, his smell, _in him_ , all the while laughing and whispering in-between kisses,

_I do…I do…I do…_

…

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment, they are always loved <3 
> 
> A few factual notes: Hill Inlet is very much real and so beautiful. The beach is like snow and Pirate of the Caribbean was filmed there too. The look out has incredible views and the wildlife and Indigenous history in the nature walk is awesome too. There are no glow worm caves there, but I lived half an hour from the glow worms and wrote from my experiences there (they are magical!). There are however Curlews at the Whitsundays and my best friend is obsessed with those night time water birds. 
> 
> 'Noodles' are a floating device and I'm not sure if that was Australian slang or not too. 
> 
> Apologies again for the late update, and unfortunately they're not going to be any quicker. But I have HUGE plans for this fic and if you stick with it I promise that it'll be good! Next chapter will most likely get a little more heated so stick around.


	6. Fearless

**Fearless**

... 

A metallic smart phone fell onto Abby's lap with a small _thump,_ startling her from her paperwork.

“Call him Mom.”

Abby lifted her head up, her eyes blossoming with surprise when she saw Clarke.

“Marcus,” Clarke clarified before Abby could finish. “Call him.”

Abby repressed a heavy sigh and placed the phone on her desk. Pushing her computer chair back, she spun around so she could give her daughter her full attention. Clarke made herself comfortable on her Mom's leather couch, sitting cross legged with her leather-shoulder bag in her lap. She blinked back up at her expectantly. It brought back sudden memories of a younger Clarke who used to race into the office and jump onto her couch after school, bouncing excitedly cross-legged on her couch as she would hurriedly tell Abby about her day at school, the words streaming out of her flying mouth like a school of chased fish.

But Clarke had barely said two words to Abby this week, just days after they got back from their trip with Marcus a week ago, let alone come by Abby's office to chat. Even now, Clarke's tone with Abby was chilly, and her eyes were unforgivingly cold.

It crushed her heart, and Abby wondered if her daughter was trying to punish her.

Abby replied patiently, “Clarke, I'm not going to call him.”

Clarke's eyes flared. “And why not?” She unfolded her legs and sat forward, her tone rising with the flush in her cheeks. “You can't just do this to him. Have someone propose to you and then ignore them for a week. That's not how it works.”

Abby's eyes snapped up at the mention of the proposal, her teeth clenching, with apprehension or outrage, Abby wasn't even sure anymore. “Marcus told you?”

“Of course not. But he hasn't been the same since we left Hill Inlet last week, and well, neither have you. I saw him yesterday and managed to piece it together and get it out of him. Mom, what are you thinking?” Clarke stopped, her tone softening when she saw Abby's eyes sadden at her sharp tone. “Mom, please. He misses you. This silence between you guys is killing him.”

Abby's eyes fell to her lap and she whispered, “I know.”

_Lord knows it was killing her too._

“But it doesn't have to be like that.”

Abby rested her elbows on her knees, her fingers coming to massage her temple. “Clarke...you don't understand. Sometimes...sometimes adults make bad decisions, regrettable, _unforgivable_ choices. And sometimes we can't predict the damage that we can make...” Abby took in a rattling breath, closing her eyes. “And I _don't_ know how to fix this.”

Then Abby felt a soft hand squeezing her shoulder, and looked up to see her daughter's weak smile. Clarke picked up the mobile and placed it in her hand.

Gently, Clarke said “You can start by calling him.”

Abby wrapped her fingers around the phone. The Samsung felt cool in her hand, yet heavy like a limp fish, heavy with the weight of the conversation that lay ahead of her, one that she had been ignoring for too long now. Of course, the endless stream of patients admitted into the hospital kept her busy, but Abby always knew that in the back of her mind, sooner or later, this affair would catch up to her.

Abby hadn't even processed her daughter's discovery of their affair, news that was surely too heavy for a fourteen-year-old girl to comprehend. But Clarke had never been like other girls. She always had a special ability to shoulder on the weight of everyone's problems and power through them with a fierce determination. Jake's death. Marcus's disappearance. Abby's marriage to Thelonious.

Marcus used to say that she got her strength from her Mother.

Abby met Clarke's eyes, grateful for her daughter's compassion and surprising maturity, but apprehensive nonetheless. “How am I supposed to tell Marcus that I can't marry him?”

Abby watched Clarke's eyes fall, shooting a stab of guilt into her heart. She wondered if Clarke had been hoping that Abby would say yes to Marcus's proposal, or that his proposal would at least knock some sense into Abby and encourage her to end her engagement.

“Why are you doing this to yourself?” Clarke finally asked, her features crumpling with bewilderment and pity. “You're clearly not happy with Thelonious. You two have barely been able to look each other in the eye, let alone go through with this marriage. You won't eat meals together, you barely say a word to each other and when you're not avoiding each other, you're arguing. It's like a blizzard at home.”

“Clarke-”

“Marcus loves you,” Clarke insisted, her eyes pleading with hers. “And I know you do too. I know that you're scared that he's going to leave you again, but if that's what's holding you back, then you have to tell him.”

Abby swallowed, the pang in her heart expanding throughout her chest and sinking to her stomach.

_How could she tell Clarke why she didn't want to be with Marcus, when she didn't understand it herself?_

Maybe Abby was in love with Marcus. There was a time when she had lost all meaning of the word, until that day in the caves with Marcus, when he had brought back all the meaning and hope that that word had carried, like a flood of light chasing away the darkness. It was a feeling Abby had said goodbye to long ago when she had agreed to marry Thelonious. Thelonious, who was the polar opposite to Marcus in almost every way. Thelonious, who would scoff at Marcus's carefree and unconventional lifestyle choices, and frown at his reckless and spontaneous behavior.

Thelonious, who sheltered Abby when Marcus had left them all that day to pick up the pieces after Jake’s death, and grieve without him.

Maybe that's why Abby was choosing Thelonious, because whilst her heart ached for Marcus, Abby feared that she needed stability and routine. She feared that she needed a stable marriage and a job and a full savings account to send Clarke off to college and invest in their property and one day, retire. Abby feared that she needed that more than the warm buzz that bloomed in her heart whenever Marcus mentioned her name and stared at her as if she was a work of art. She feared that she needed it more than the salty air and breathless adventures that a life on the ocean could give her, and certainly more than an impulsive proposal from a man who had abandoned her so many years ago.

But maybe it wasn't that Abby needed stability and routine more than all of that.

_Maybe it was that she was too scared to let it all go for a chance at love again._

“Mom, if you don't tell him then I'm afraid that he's going to leave.”

Abby's heart skipped a beat, her eyes snapping up urgently. “Leave? Did he say something to you?”

“Not really, but-” Clarke lifted her shoulder up in a shrug, her eyes saddening. “Do you really think that he's going to want to stay here and watch you marry Thelonious? Especially since you won't say a word to him? I mean,” she hesitated, meeting her eyes seriously. “Could you really blame him if he left again?”

…

_Seven years ago…_

There were two times when Abby had been rushed to hospital to tend to her family.

The first time was last year, when Abby had followed the cries of her wailing daughter and found her sitting in the living room amongst her crayons and scrapbooks, a pair of blood-stained scissors laying by her side and a flap of skin hanging off her thumb. The second time was when Jake had decided to renovate their backyard with a stylish deck. Her husband had only started on the project when he had stepped on a nail sticking out from a wooden plank. The nail had slid right through his rubber flip flop, leading them the fastest trip to the hospital that Abby had ever taken, a tetanus shot and an oath from Abby that she wouldn’t tell a soul just how much her husband had cried out during his shot.

But Abby didn't think that she would one day have to tend to Marcus too.

It was a Sunday morning, Raven had taken Clarke out to the beach, and Abby and Jake were settling in front of their television with a bucket of popcorn between them, when Abby's phone buzzed to life. She saw Marcus's name and answered it instantly.

“Ah, Abby, I made need your help. I ah - had a bit of an accident.”

His tone was calm, but Abby could tell from the way he spoke in-between heaving breaths that he was in pain.

Fortunately, Marcus didn't live far away. Within ten minutes, Abby had pulled up outside his house and let herself in (Marcus never worried about locking the doors when he was at home, shrugging off Abby's concerns about a robbery with a, _“Well if anyone ever breaks in to steal something, I may get up and go looking with them.”)_

Abby stepped out into the backyard, panic stunning her features when she saw Marcus. He was leaning back against the side of his house, his face twisted in excruciating pain, and a fallen ladder lying next to him. Abby couldn't help but quickly assess just how long that ladder was and how far Marcus had fallen.

She hurried over and knelt down to his side. “My God Marcus, what happened?”

He gestured to the ladder with a weak smile. “I think it's obvious. I fell.”

Abby repressed an eye roll. “Clearly. But what were you doing up there in the first place?”

Marcus shifted his weight and tried to sit up, cringing and inhaling sharply with pain as he did so. “I was installing the new solar panels, but the ladder mustn't have been stable enough. It wobbled, and I tried to get back down before it collapsed, and I wasn't quick enough.”

Abby chewed her lip anxiously at the thought of Marcus falling so high. She asked, “Where does it hurt the most?”

Just as her fingers went to assess his knee Marcus cried out, gritting his teeth. “Right there. I landed on my side, but my leg took most of the fall.”

More gently this time, Abby continued to assess his leg, pressing and prodding as carefully as she could. Occasionally, she would ask ' _Is it sore here?' 'Does it feel tender here?'_ She felt his flesh through the material of his jeans, relieved that she couldn't feel too much swelling.

Finally, Abby finished and withdrew. “Well I don't think it's broken, maybe just a ruptured tendon. You were lucky.” Still, Abby couldn't help but shake her head and huff, “I still don't know what the hell you were thinking.” Seeing his perplexed stare, she chided, “You climbed a ten-foot ladder that barely looks like it can stand by itself, let alone hold your weight, without anyone holding it. Of course you would fall. It was reckless Marcus, you could have gotten yourself killed.”

Marcus, a little taken back at the comment, glanced at the ladder (it looked fine to him) and replied, “It was just a ladder Abby, how was I supposed-”

“It was an unstable ladder,” Abby fired back. “You could have borrowed a ladder from us, or asked Jake to help you with the installations, or better, do what most of us do and hire a technician. Because I don't know how you thought you were going to install those giant panels alone.”

Marcus parted his lips to point out just how ridiculous she was being, that he was more than capable of installing the solar panels by himself and that this fall could have happened to anyone. Then he noticed the distress shadowing her eyes, and the sudden sharpness of her breaths.

_Abby was scared._

Then suddenly it wasn't just about Marcus's fall.

It was about the time Marcus had told Abby that he would be going out sailing amidst the stormy ocean waves to take photos of the lightening, always enthralled by the flashing branches of stormy-light that sliced through the darkness. Then Marcus had returned to shore from his trip, and back to two hysterical _“Marcus, you've been gone for an hour and the storm's worsening, please call me”_ voice-mails from Abby. Or it was about the time when Marcus had given Abby a near heart attack diving too close to the shark infested waters, or driving too close to the edge of the mountains because he was captured by the view, or any other reckless activity that had endangered his life.

_It wasn't about Marcus's fall at all. It was about every other time Marcus had almost gotten himself killed._

So Marcus swallowed back his pride and replied, “I-I guess I wasn't thinking?”

Abby blinked, once, twice, clearly not expecting this answer. She took a steady breath, composure washing away her anxieties. Quietly, she said “No... maybe you weren’t.” She hesitated, then “I'll get Jake to drop the ladder off for you tomorrow, so I don't get a heart attack next time you call me because you were too lazy to purchase a stable ladder.”

Marcus's eyes lit up for a fraction, his lips tugging into the tiniest of smiles at the thought of Abby worrying about him so much. He raised an eyebrow and asked, “You really got a heart attack when I called?”

Then to his surprise, Abby gave a small shrug and truthfully responded, “I was terrified Marcus.” She stopped mid breath, as if she was going to continue, but decided against it. Instead Abby gestured to his leg. “Will you be able to walk? I want to get you to the hospital to run some more scans. You may have internal injuries.”

Marcus didn't even argue with her. He just smiled and responded, “Of course Dr. Griffin.”

Abby bit her lip, and fought back the smile spreading across her features.

With enough patience and strength, and many sharp gasps and painful grunts from Marcus, Abby got him up and into her car. They were at the hospital within minutes, and Marcus was being escorted by Niko to get some tests done, whilst Abby waited outside with Marcus's belongings.

Abby tried not to mentally replay the scenarios of Marcus falling over – _how long was the ladder? Eight feet long? Nine feet long? Ten feet long? Ten feet fall? -_ or the possible outcomes that could have happened – _concussion, broken bones, back injury, spine injury, nerve damage, paralysis, death –_ and decided to direct her attention to something more productive. Abby unlocked Marcus's phone (she had left her mobile at home amidst her frantic hurry to get to Marcus, and wanted to call Jake to let him know what happened). Then to her surprise, it wasn't a photo of the sunset or a storm flashing above the ocean that greeted her on Marcus's home screen _._

_It was her._

The iPhone was paused on a video, footage that had captured a close-up of Abby's face. She was caught in the middle of a laugh, little wrinkles outlining the smiles around her bright eyes. Curiously, Abby played the video. She recognized where the footage was taken immediately. It was at Clarke's sixth birthday party, and Abby vaguely remembered asking Marcus to record some videos of them since she couldn't find her phone (lost through the chaos of party decorations, wrapping paper and guests), and Jake was too busy cooking up the food and entertaining the adults and kids to film a video.

Yet as Abby watched the video, there seemed to be little footage of Clarke's actual birthday. Certainly, there was a lot of footage of Clarke; Clarke singing happy birthday and blowing out the candles, sword fighting with her friends, and blowing raspberries into the camera as she got her faced painted. But none of the actual birthday party.

Instead, there was a lot of Abby Griffin.

Abby dressing up with Clarke and braiding Octavia's hair, Abby poking out her tongue into the camera as Raven attached a tiara onto her hair, Abby alternating between singing happy birthday with a silly grin and attacking Clarke with kisses, and Abby dancing. _So much of her dancing._ Dancing with Clarke and the other kids. Then later on spinning around and swaying her hips with a glass of wine in hand, before she finally noticed Marcus filming her and called for him to “ _Put the camera down and come join me!”_ Then she laughed like a bottle of rosé champagne, bubbly, warm and pink all over, and pulled him towards her. The screen shook as the camera was pulled forward. The footage ended.

The door swung open and Abby instantly locked the phone, chucking it back onto her lap. She felt guilty, as if she had seen something that she wasn't supposed too. As if she had discovered a dirty secret.

“Good news, no broken bones.”

Abby snapped her head up to see Niko exiting, his eyes examining Marcus's MRI scans. “He's torn his quadriceps tendons, but that should heal within a few months. There are no internal injuries, so given his fall I'd say he's lucky.” Niko stopped and turned to Marcus who came hobbling out of the room with his crutches, his left leg bound in a cast. “You should be able to make a full recovery within less than three months, but you will need to take time off work though. Do you have insurance?”

 

Marcus nodded “Sinclair should give me compensation while I have time off.” He turned back to Abby, assessing her reaction to the news and his cast. He raised his eyebrows at her. “No broken bones or acute damage. What do you think Dr. Griffin?

Abby pursed her lips as she handed him back his belongings. “I think I'll breathe easier once you're back at home and I've locked you inside to make sure you rest those injuries.”

Abby knew that Marcus hated staying indoors for too long, _but she would fight him on this one._ Marcus however, seemed compliant for now, if not a little amused at her fretting over him.   

Abby wondered if she should tell Marcus just how scared she was when she saw him on the ground before, or even when she heard the pain in his voice when he had called her.

Then Abby wondered if she should mention the video. Why was he watching the video today? Why was there so much footage of her? Did he record her all day during Clarke’s birthday? _Maybe Jake was right, and sometimes she could be a bit self-absorbed and this was a perceptual misjudgment on her part._

Still, although Abby didn't question him, for the rest of the day Abby couldn't stop thinking about the video and why it made her feel so guilty.

…

_Present day_ …

“Dr. Griffin, I have your fiancé here to see you.”

Abby's and Clarke's eyes snapped up simultaneously. Clarke cast her Mother a questioning look, but Abby looked just as confused. Since Abby and Thelonious got engaged, Thelonious had stopped coming to visit her at work. Abby assumed that her fiancé didn't see the point in trying to woo her anymore, and any romance that had existed between them had fizzled out with age.

Abby hit the answer button on her intercom and replied, “Thank you Niylah, but tell Thelonious that I'm busy attending to a patient.”

She heard a rustle in the background, and her receptionist relaying her message back. Then, “I'm sorry Dr. Griffin, but Mr. Jaha is insisting that it's urgent.” Niylah lowered her tone and hushed, “Abby, he has some lady here with him and she doesn't look like she wants to leave. And frankly, she's starting to give me the chills. Can I please send them up?”

Abby clenched her jaw, feeling a flood of anger and frustration begin to rise within her chest. Nonetheless, Abby relieved her receptionist with a, “Fine. Send them up.”

“What is he doing here? And with Allie too? Weren’t they supposed to be attending another media publicity stunt today?” Clarke asked, equally annoyed.

Abby shook her head. “I wish I could tell you Clarke, but I honestly don't know.”

Abby handed Clarke back her mobile phone. For now, her conversation with Marcus would have to wait.

The door swung open and Allie walked inside, followed by Thelonious. Allie's eyes briefly swept across room, stopping to linger on Clarke before settling her attention on Abby. Allie clasped her hands together and spoke in her usual cool and collected manner. “Hello Abby. Clarke.”

There was always something chilling about Allie, perhaps it was her eyes, expressionless and yet calculating at the same time, almost robotic. Abby didn't blame her receptionist for wanting to banish Allie out of her sight. Despite this, Abby didn't feel fear or intimidation, only rage, like hot, blistering tar expanding inside her chest.

“Thelonious, what the hell is going on? What is so urgent that you have to interrupt me at work?”

“Well it hardly seems like you were working, Clarke is here.” Allie pointed out, as if correcting a child.

Abby looked like she could strangle Allie. Clarke did too.

Sensing the stormy cloud brewing between the two women, Thelonious stepped between them and spoke quickly. “Abby, we're sorry. But we wouldn't be here unless it was urgent.” He hesitated, glancing at Clarke. “Clarke, could you give us a moment with your Mother?”

“No,” Clarke immediately fired back, stepping closer to her Mom. She shifted her gaze between Thelonious and Allie suspiciously. She too, had always gotten a bad vibe from Allie's presence. “I'm not going anywhere. What you can say to my Mom you can say to me.”

“Clarke please.” It was Abby who spoke this time, turning to her daughter. “Let me talk to them for a minute, okay? I'll see you back at home.”

Clarke narrowed her eyes, her features scrunching up with fury, as if she was preparing to protest. In the end, it was Abby's stern look that made up Clarke's mind. So with one last filthy glance at the adults, Clarke picked up her bag and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Abby lifted her eyes back up to her partner. “You have my attention now. What is it?”

But it was Allie who spoke with the upward-tilt of her head. “We need you to attend the media conference today.”

Abby almost choked. “Media conference? _That's why the two of you are here?”_ Abby turned to her fiancé. “I told you Thelonious, I will support you with your candidacy, but I am not going to attend your PR events. That's for you and your campaign manager, but I have a full-time job here.”

Allie walked across the room and perched herself on Abby's desk, her clasped hands coming to rest on her lap in a business-like way. “Abby, the election polls have come out today. Thelonious was leading by fifteen percent when he first announced his candidacy, but now he's only leading by fifty-two to forty-eight. I ran some analysis on the recent polls and our city’s demographics, and found that he's lost support from family voters, particularly working-class caregivers.”

Abby shifted her gaze back and forth between the two of them, still confused. “I don’t understand. So, introduce some policies that will appeal to working families then, subsidies childcare services for working mothers or invest in new infrastructure for the kids. What has this got to do with me?”

But Allie shook her head, her eyes seeking Thelonious's for confirmation as she spoke, “Thelonious has already promised to invest in more community services for our youth, and help produce more flexible jobs that can cater towards working parents. His policies aren't the problem. His problem Abby, is the two of you.”

“What does that mean?”

“Abby, Australian families are struggling to relate to us,” Thelonious explained simply. “They see their leader as being a family person, someone who understands family values and is prepared to uphold them and support what the everyday family needs. And David Miller? The people think he has that. His wife and his son are by his side during every media conference and public debate forum, whereas the entire town barely knows that we're engaged. To them, you're still Jake Griffin's widow and single Mother of Clarke, and I’m still the doctor that lost his son ten years ago. We've lost touch with family voters.”

Abby did not look pleased. “Thelonious, Alison Miller _does not_ have a full-time job. Alison Miller did not have to raise her child single-handedly for half of their life. And I made it very clear from the beginning that I will _not_ drag Clarke into this. She wants to stay out of it, and I will support her decision, as I expect you to do too. If it's a family man the public wants, then you'll have to persuade them that you share those values yourself.”

Thelonious's eyes hardened, clearly not expecting this answer. “That's funny, because you always seem to have time to spare for Marcus. How long were you away for last week? Twelve hours? And what about when we first arrived here and you spent more than a day on his yacht? Yet you can't even attend a single public relations event with me.”

Abby's eyes flamed with fury. “Now you're tracking me? And what has this got to do with Marcus? It's none of your business what I choose to spend my time on or who I spend it with.”

Thelonious stepped forward, his tone rising with anger. “Abby, you said that you would support my campaign, and I expected you to keep your word.”

“I said that I would let you operate your campaign in our house and pick up the extra duties around so you could invest your time in your career. But I am not prepared to drop my career so I can stand by your side at every media conference you speak at and play happy family just to persuade the public to vote for you.”

“” Allie began, sitting forward. “You may not have to attend all of Thelonious's public relations campaigns. Given Thelonious's overwhelmingly low support from working class families, and shockingly, emerging families, it may not be enough to have you and Clarke showcase your support for Thelonious during his campaigns. Besides, I question how helpful Clarke's support to our campaign would be anyway.”

Abby ignored Allie's comment about her daughter, and pointedly asked, “Fine, then what do you want?”

Allie smiled, and responded simply, “We need you and Thelonious to attend just today’s media conference, and announce that you will be expecting.”

Abby raised her eyebrows. “Expecting _?”_

“Yes. Expecting a child.”

Abby choked. Her eyes bulged with shock and disbelief, shifting her gaze between Allie and Thelonious. “You cannot be serious.”

“Sixty-two percent of people do not vote rationally Abby, they vote with their emotions,” Allie articulated, as if teaching a student. “They vote for who they can trust. And one can always trust a man who is willing to support his wife and their new child, it shows commitment to family and commitment to his people. It shows unity. And more importantly, this will give Thelonious a mode to discuss the issues that emerging families face in the current economic environment, and how he is the man that can fix it.”

Abby was flabbergasted. Yet Allie still sat there, blinking at Abby's stunned gaze, calm and collected as she waited for her response. Sick of hearing anymore of Allie’s insanity, Abby spun around to Thelonious, pointing out “You've been silent during all of this. Surely you think that this is insane?”

Thelonious had indeed been quiet, choosing to retreat back behind Allie, hidden by her shadow. He lifted his eyes up and quietly said, “Actually, I think it's perfect.”

Abby snorted, barely containing a ‘ _ha!’_ “Perfect, except for the fact that I am not pregnant. I knew you could be mad sometimes Thelonious, but I didn't think you had lost your mind.”

“You're not pregnant now,” Allie spoke carefully again, staring pointedly at Abby. “But we still have time. Based on what Thelonious has told me, you should be able to conceive by the next week.”

Abby's jaw dropped, her eyes shooting fire at Thelonious (she was always grumpier during her period, and suffered from pounding migraines and cramps that she never bothered to keep quiet about at home, _but had Thelonious lost his mind to tell Allie this?_ )

“If you can conceive within the next week,” Allie continued, as if oblivious to the tension between the couple. “Then we can announce your pregnancy today.”

Abby was shaking her head. “This is ridiculous. Both of you have lost your minds.”

“Why?” Thelonious asked sharply. “Is it that hard to comprehend the thought of sleeping with me Abby? Lord knows that you haven't been intimate with me in years. You haven't been able to touch me since we arrived here.”

Abby's cheeks flushed with rage, the volcanic tar pit of rage spitting and rising within her. She snapped, “Well maybe I had good reason to Thelonious, since I found out that you've been lying to me since we got here. And I _am not_ going to discuss our sex life with your campaign manager in the room.”

Allie didn't even bat an eye. Instead she just turned to Thelonious and said wisely, “I told you that we shouldn't have told her beforehand. Announcing the pregnancy today without Abby's knowing would have been more successful.”

Abby raised her eyebrows. “What? And you thought that I was just going to play along with this bullshit story in front of the cameras?”

“Most likely you would have been in shock, so yes. I doubt you would have said anything.”

“Abby please,” Thelonious pleaded again, his tone softening. “Just listen to me-”

“I am not doing this in front of her,” Abby snapped, waving to Allie.

Taking her cue, Allie bowed her head and with one last flickering gaze towards Thelonious, she left the room.

As soon as the door shut Abby started again. “Thelonious before you speak, no. _Absolutely not_. I am not going to conceive a child with you just so you can win some votes. You must have lost every braincell of yours to even _think_ that I would be open to this insanity!”

“Funny Abby, that you won't even screw your partner for a child, but you'll happily screw his best friend.”

Abby's breath stopped short.

Thelonious sneered. “You didn't think I knew? How long did you think that you could keep on screwing Marcus behind my back?”

Abby’s heart hammered in her chest, each accelerating boom of her heart like a battering ram pounding against the Trojan Gates of her chest, thumping to the millions of _'hows'_ and _'whys'_ that raced through her mind, too many for Abby to make sense of. Clamping her mouth shut, Abby replied “And why didn't you say anything before?”

“Because I was hoping that you would come to me and confess your affair, and that it wouldn't have to come to this.”

Abby knew that she shouldn't ask, but she needed to know. Taking a brave breath, she managed to utter a, “ _How_?”

Thelonious pulled out his phone from his pocket and unlocked it, placing it on the desk. Abby approached it, her eyes widening with horror when she saw all of the pictures on the screen. _Pictures of her and Marcus._ Marcus holding her up against the wheel of his yacht and kissing her senseless, Marcus and Abby making out under-stars, and Abby pinning Marcus onto the beach of Hill Inlet, her face elated with happiness.

Abby clutched the edge of her desk for support. She felt like she was going to throw up. She could barely breathe out the “ _Oh my god_ ,” that was circling her mind. Finally, she exclaimed, “You were stalking me since we got here?”

“I was in contact with Allie before we arrived here. When you ran off on that first day I was worried sick, you weren't answering my calls and I didn't know where the hell you were. I was going to contact the police when Allie had noticed my distress that evening and offered to look for you. Nonetheless Clarke later called me and told me where you were. Then Allie sent me that photo of you and Marcus on the yacht just after you returned, and I knew.”

Abby shook her head, taking a step away from her fiancé. “You knew.. _.you knew from the beginning-”_

“I was accepting of it Abby, honestly. I was angry, of course, _outraged,_ but I understood. You and Marcus clearly had history, and returning here could have, as you say, rekindled some old flames between the two of you. Nonetheless, when you came home that morning looking guilty and distraught, I hoped that that would be the last of it. Still, when Allie offered to keep an eye on you, I took her up on that offer.”

“This is sick,” Abby whispered. “ _You're sick-”_

“And it didn't end after that evening on the yacht, did it? During the cocktail party and your rendezvous at Hill Inlet you continued your affair. Abby, you lied to me. C _heated on me.”_ Thelonious stepped towards her with each sentence, like a predator approaching its prey, and Abby stumbled back. “You betrayed me, and this affair ends now. Do you understand?”

Abby shook her head, her fingers digging into hands, nails scarring crescents into her palms. “No Thelonious, _no._ You can't honestly believe that I'm still going to marry you when-when, _you knew all along_ -” Abby stopped, trying to collect her words together, her heart plummeting in her chest as if she was falling a hundred feet down. “It's sick Thelonious, _sick_! You lied to me, _then you stalked me,_ then you _pretended_ like you knew nothing when you did. It's insanity!”

Thelonious took a steady breath, his eyes studying Abby. “Maybe to you. But at least I know now that I can't trust you. Clearly, you're too involved with Marcus that it doesn't look like you'll end this affair yourself. Fortunately, you won't need too.”

Abby's heart skipped a precious beat, her blood pounding in her ears. “What do you mean?”

Thelonious pulled out Abby's iPhone, toying with the device as if it was a prized antique. “You have always been careless with your phone. I used to wonder why you bothered owning one when you never answer your calls, and use the land line or Clarke's mobile half the time when you need to make a call. You didn't even know it was missing, did you?”

As soon as he had pulled out her phone Abby's hand had shot into her bag, and just like she knew in the back of her head, her phone was missing.

“How else could I have known that Marcus was with you during the charity benefit?”

Memories of the night of the cocktail-charity benefit flashed through Abby's mind.

_Marcus's phone buzzing by his side. Abby, still breathless and dizzy with desire, sitting up underneath the stars and staring at Marcus with confusion as he answered the anonymous number. Then he turned to her with equal confusion, uttering “How did Thelonious get my number?”_

Abby snapped her head back up, a mix of caution and apprehension consuming her features. “Thelonious, why do you have my phone now?”

Thelonious passed the device to her. “To do what you couldn't do.”

Abby read the text message on her screen, and her world slowly fell apart.

_Marcus, we can't keep on doing this anymore. It's wrong, and you know that. I'm sorry that I let it get this far, but...it needs to stop. It's not fair to Thelonious and it's not fair to you, and I hope you understand. These past few weeks for me were a...distraction, a distraction from everything. And maybe it was wrong of me to use you like that, but there it is. I don't love you Marcus, and I hope you understand._

_Sent, 12:00pm today._

Next to it were five missing calls from Marcus himself. Abby almost dropped the phone, slowly breaking inside.

Thelonious pocketed his own mobile. “Abby, forget about it. It's done. I wouldn't even be surprised if he was on the plane heading out of this country already. You know how the man liked to run away from his grief.”

“No.”

Thelonious startled. Abby glared at him through glassy eyes. “ _No._ I'm not letting that happen.”

She grabbed her phone and her handbag and spun around to run to the door, done with this conversation, done with Thelonious, done with the lies and secrets and betrayal. Thelonious grabbed her wrist, yanking her back. Abby cried out and struggled against his firm grip.

“Abby stop, it's done.” Thelonious fought against her violent struggles, yelling in between breathless cries, “Abby, your life, your family, is here _with me.”_

The volcanic anger within her chest erupted and Abby cried out, kicking Thelonious from behind. He yelped and let go. Abby ran. She just opened the door when she felt Thelonious pulling her wrist back once more, bellowing “Abby stay here, y _ou are my wife!”_

Abby yanked her arm away and whirled around, her features twisted with rage. “ _Not today.”_

Then she yanked off her engagement ring, threw it on the ground and fled.

_Not today. Not ever again._

_..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh I had fun writing that end part, and the dialogue and tension and dynamics between Allie, Abby and Thelonious. 
> 
> Hello all! Yes I updated, yes this fic is still happening. I wish I could tell you all what's been happening in my life to cause this HUGE and unforgivable delay. In short, my final year of uni, and work and volunteering got in the way of writing kabby. I tried to start this update so many times but i was never satisfied with any of them, and my writing has just been super rusty that I started to doubt my own abilities and it was just hard. Then i had huge dramas at work and then hiatus made me lose that 'fire' i had for kabby so this chapter never got written until now, I guess the recent kabby episode inspired me, and I know that we all need hope and kabby love now that we're on hiatus again. 
> 
> So please be patient with me, and I will do my best to make it worth the wait! Thank you to everyone who's still reading this and who supported me to write this, I appreciated all of the love this fic got from the kabby fandom! And it's been forever since I've lasted written so please, I'd really love some feedback because I'm not too sure how I went. Silver lining, I have finally quit my job (I'm gonna be so broke help!) but I should be able to better keep on updating this. I have plans for this fic, nothing set in stone yet. But I have ideas. So don't get too comfortable yet with Abby finally throwing the engagement away (about bloody time) because there's so much more to come! 
> 
> Love you kabby fandom. Breathe, believe, receive, we can make it through this hiatus, and please leave your thoughts at the bottom! <3


	7. Uncovered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suggest that you re-read this fic if it's been a while (especially since it's taken me forever to update) as I mention parts of previous chapters, so it would better make sense when you're reading 'Uncovered'.

_Seven years earlier…_

_Splash! Sploosh! Splash!_

Abby watched Marcus and Clarke jump on the rain puddles, splashing muddy water up to their calves, panting, laughing and uncaring at the rain that fell on them. Abby pursed her lips, a part of her wanting to tell Marcus off, envisioning the muddy footprints tracking all over her clean marble tiles and worrying that Clarke would catch a cold. Yet when she saw Clarke laugh with elation as she went to kick dirty water onto Marcus’s jeans, Abby couldn’t bring herself to do it.

After all, Jake had been away for a week, attending to federal business in Canberra, and Clarke never fared well when her father was away. Fortunately, ‘ _Uncle Marcus’_ had a day off today, and he was always able to step in and distract Clarke from her grief. Today Marcus had suggested that they all go and see the recent Disney movie that had just been released, _Tangled,_ and Clarke had almost jumped for joy. It was only a twenty-minute walk from the cinemas and a bright, sunny afternoon too, so Abby had suggested that they walk there to get the most out of the day.

_Boy did she regret her decision._

The crackling whip of thunder resounded throughout the sky, and the rain fell from droplets to pelting bullets, hitting them hard and soaking through Abby’s summer dress. Quickly, Abby increased her pace, spotting a bus shelter she could take cover under.

Sensing Abby’s sudden increase in speed, Marcus took Clarke’s hand and the two of them hurried after her.

“This was a terrible idea,” Abby grumbled when Marcus and Clarke fell into step with her, shivering from the chilly wind.

“If I recall correctly, you were the one who wanted to walk to the theatre and ‘soak in the morning sunshine,’ while I wanted to drive.” Marcus replied with a hint of amusement in his tone.

Abby’s eyes narrowed with irritation, _of course he was right._ “I didn’t think it would rain today, it was twenty-four degrees this morning. We should call a cab, I don’t want Clarke to catch another cold.”

Marcus nodded and together, the three of them hurried under the bus shelter. Marcus pulled out his phone to call for an uber whilst Abby fussed and fretted over her soaking wet daughter. She unbuttoned her thin cardigan from off her shoulders and pulled it around her begrudging daughter, who complained about the itchiness. Abby ignored Clarke’s protests and gave Clarke her phone to play with while they waited for their ride, mentally chiding herself for not bringing at least one of Clarke’s jackets with her.

Marcus just got off the phone and saw Abby, wet hair sticking to her cheeks, and exposed shoulders shivering from the breeze. Marcus quickly went over and unbuttoned his long-sleeved shirt and passed it to Clarke, explaining, “My shirt will be warmer.”

Abby immediately protested as Marcus went to swap her cardigan for his shirt. “Marcus, don’t be ridiculous you’re not wearing anything. You’ll freeze!”

Marcus repressed an eyeroll and propped Clarke back up on the bus seat when he was done, who was now wearing his shirt like a giant, buttoned up cloak. It was wet, but it wasn’t Abby’s itchy and damp cardigan, so Clarke hugged it warmly around her little body all the same, a content smile tracing her features.

Marcus wrapped Abby’s cardigan back around her shoulders and replied, “And so will you. I called an Uber, they should be here in five minutes.”

Abby stared at Marcus with disbelief and a sense of curiosity. He literally was the type of guy who would _‘_ give you the shirt off his back,’ even if it meant that he had nothing else underneath for himself. Of course, Marcus was used to not wearing a shirt when he was working, and Abby knew that he felt freer that way, but whether he knew about the attention he got from other women was another thing. Actually, that was another thing that popped into her mind more and more lately.

_Just why didn’t Marcus have a girlfriend?_

He was physically attractive of course. Just as that thought slipped into her mind, Abby found her eyes once again drifting to his chest, toned and firm, following the drops of water dripping down his abs. But it wasn’t just his immaculate body and muscles, or his general good looks really; his warm, earthy-brown eyes, dark wavy hair and defined jaw, all the superficial features that made girls swoon.

But it was his incredible sense of selflessness that drew Abby towards Marcus, just like today, when he had given his shirt to Clarke so she would stay warm, and Abby wouldn’t have to worry that her daughter would catch a cold. Abby had known Marcus for years now, but it was his kindness and selflessness that she loved about him the most.

_How the hell was he still single?_

Marcus had never spoken about previous girlfriends, or his life before he moved to Proserpine, this little coastal town. Abby knew that he had moved here less than a decade ago, but Marcus was secretive about his former life, and said it was one that he wanted to forget. Abby had always respected his wishes, but now she found her curiosity for the man who she had grown so closely towards these past three years spark again.

“Abby?”

Abby startled, realizing that she was staring off into Marcus’s eyes. She flustered a little at having been caught, which only earned her an arched eyebrow and an amused smile from Marcus.

Abby mumbled, “Sorry, I was just...thinking.”

“Oh, about what?”

“Actually, about you. I was wondering about your life before you came here.”

The amusement fell from Marcus’s face. “Oh.”

“Marcus, you don’t have to tell me,” Abby quickly said, hoping that she hadn’t made him uncomfortable. “But, you can’t blame me for being curious, right?” Abby watched Marcus’s eyes for a reaction, then added with a lighthearted smile, “I actually asked Jake the other day, if he knew much about your past, or the _previous women_ in your life.”

Marcus lifted his head up at this. “And what did he say?”

“Like me, he knew surprisingly little. He didn’t know why you were single either,” Abby stopped, studying Marcus. “You’re a man of mystery Marcus Kane.”

Marcus’s heart jumped at the mention of ‘either.’ _Abby didn’t know why he was single ‘_ either’ _. Abby couldn’t understand why a girl wanted to date him_ either _._ Marcus had to stop the racing thoughts in his mind, knowing that they would jump to one conclusion to the next, leading him into further dangerous territory. Marcus tried to avoid meeting Abby’s eyes, feeling himself burn under her caring and curious stare, and cleared his throat. He was about to suggest that they keep a look out for the Uber when he saw a truck speeding towards them.

Connecting the speeding truck driving their way to the river-puddles of rainwater that was next to them, Marcus grabbed Abby by the hips with a “ _Abby watch out!”_ and pulled her back towards him. The two of them fell back against the glass-wall of the but-shelter as the car sped by and over the puddle, splashing the two of them waist high with water.

Abby spluttered, completely drenched. She could vaguely hear Clarke’s giggles in the background, and soon found herself laughing at the situation too. She looked up and saw Marcus chuckling quietly too, his puffs of breaths brushing against her face, and Abby felt her lips mirroring his smile.

Abby’s eyes softened as she studied him once more, her hands coming up to brush away the wet curls of hair that had fallen over his eyes and dripped raindrops down his brow. His smile had always been contagious, a small tug of the lips that seemed to light up his eyes and crinkle around his features. It had that power over people, _over her,_ his smiles never failing to make her chest buzz warmly.

Tilting her head to the side, Abby asked “Marcus, why are you single? Do you want to get married one day?”

Marcus, clearly taken back at the question, wasn’t too sure how to respond. Abby however, continued to brush back his hair, before her fingers dropped down his face, navigating their way down the slope of his nose and his cheeks, as if her answer rested on his facial features alone. Abby felt his face tense briefly under her fingers, and she wondered if it was just a reflex, or his breath catching in his throat.  

Finally, Marcus swallowed, and whispered “Of course I want to marry one day. I guess I just haven’t found the right person to settle down with.”

Abby frowned, her hands slowly falling from the sides of his face and to his neck. “You’re kind Marcus. You’re selfless, generous and honorable. The right girl will come along and fall head over heels for you.”

Marcus attempted a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes, and said softly “I think it’s too late.”

Abby frowned. “Too late? You know, not every man would give their shirt away like that, any woman in this world would appreciate a quality like that.” As Abby spoke, her body once again betrayed her mind as her eyes flickered to his bare chest. “You sure you won’t freeze?”

Marcus just shrugged and smiled softly, then “I’ve been through worst Abby.”

Abby knew that that may be true, but she didn’t want to believe it, believe that someone as _good_ and kind as Marcus could be through anything of that kind.

When Abby lifted her head up she met his eyes, realizing just how lost his gaze was, _lost on her_. It was only then that Abby realized just how close they were, that the car had sped by and splashed them minutes ago, but Marcus’s back was still up against the glass-wall, with Abby almost pressed against him, their chests inches away. Abby’s hands were still on Marcus, one hand cupping his cheek and the other resting on his collarbone. Indeed, his hands were still on her hips, and as Abby realized just how close they were, she felt his fingers curling into her waist.

A voice inside her head was telling her to let him go, yet Abby couldn’t connect the internal command to her body, as if she was stuck in a trance. And she could feel a heart racing, _accelerating,_ but she wasn’t sure if it was his or hers, but maybe that was why she suddenly wasn’t so cold anymore, because of the blood rushing through her system. Or maybe it was the lack of space between her and Marcus, or maybe it was Marcus’s hand that was gradually sliding up the few exposed inches of her waist, spreading a tingling warmth throughout her.

Abby closed her eyes, suddenly enjoying the feelings of his cool fingers stirring goosebumps across her bare skin, and when she slowly slid her hands down to his neck and across his shoulders, she felt him shiver with her. And when Abby opened her eyes, she saw his pupils bloom, which only made her breath catch in her throat and heart quicken and thoughts scatter until there was nothing in Abby’s world except Marcus Kane’s eyes.

Then suddenly Abby remembered the video footage of her and Clarke’s birthday that Abby had found on his phone the other day, and something inside of her clicked. She let him go instantly, breaking the tension between them.

Abby stepped back, confused as to what had just happened. Confused at the conflicting emotions she felt within her and the strange feelings of guilt that started to weave their way into her heart.

“Abby? You okay?” Marcus asked carefully, noticing her confusion.

Abby looked up and feigned a small smile. “I’m fine, I’m just…” She trailed off, unsure of how to explain herself because she wasn’t too sure what it was.

Sure, Marcus and Abby may had been close, and maybe if Abby gave herself time to reflect, she could admit at times there was some tension between them, whatever it was. But they had always had a close relationship, and Abby had always been comfortable sharing close space with Marcus; when Marcus and Abby spent the night watching movies with Clarke when Jake was in Canberra on business and Abby would fall asleep on Marcus’s lap, or when the two of them sat closely when canoeing. Surely this was just as innocent and pure as that, just a reflection of how close their friendship was.

Maybe Abby had been caught in a moment, _but it didn’t mean anything._ Because Abby would never in a million years cheat on Jake.

_Then why did she feel so damn guilty?_

Fortunately, Abby’s phone rang to life, distracting her from the conflict and confusion battling in her mind. Her face lit into a smile when she saw Jake’s name and answered the phone.

“Hey honey.”

Abby saw Clarke’s face light up too, her daughter instantly hurrying over and calling out, “Is it Dad? Can I talk to him? Is he finishing his trip early?”

Abby tried to shush her daughter whilst she spoke to her husband, her growing smile confirming Clarke’s suspicions.

Abby hung up the phone and announced, “Jake’s coming home tonight! The estimate hearings took half as long as they had anticipated. The party managed to gain the government’s support, they convinced them to fund the Great Barrier Reef Conservation Project.”

Marcus feigned a smile as Clarke cheered. “That’s great Abby.”

Abby turned around to Marcus. “I think this calls for a celebration. Do you want to drop by for dinner? I’ll whip up Jake’s favorite pasta bake tonight, and you can pick up some wine?”

Marcus hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. “Ah, I have a bit of work to do Abby. I don’t want to intrude on your family time with Jake- “

“Marcus don’t be ridiculous, you’re our family too. And Jake would love to have you here, we all would.”

Clarke nodded, beaming. “You can’t go home tonight Uncle Marcus, it’s raining.”

Marcus stared at Clarke, gradually understanding what she meant. Clarke didn’t want him to be alone tonight during the storm, like the little bear ‘Fink’ was in the story that Marcus had read to Clarke, residing alone in his mushroom hut by the dim light of the fire during the storm, watching the neighboring houses around him filled with life, light and family. Clarke didn’t want him to be like Fink. _Clarke didn’t want him to be alone tonight,_ and clearly, neither did Abby.

So Marcus smiled, this one feeling a little more genuine as the Uber pulled up. He replied, “Of course kiddo, I wouldn’t miss your Mom’s famous pasta bake for the world.”

…

Abby heard a familiar knock on the door just as she slammed the oven door shut, spreading an elated smile across her lips.

“Just a second!”

She cast one last glance at the pasta-bake – _ten more minutes to cook the top to a golden, cheesy crisp –_ and took off her oven mitts, before heading out to hallway leading to the front door. Marcus was earlier than expected, and Abby felt a rush of anxiety wrapping tightly around her torso and drumming in her chest at the thought of seeing Marcus again.

It was all too much for Abby’s mind to comprehend. The footage of Abby on Marcus’s phone, then their proximity before, the way Marcus had looked at Abby and _the way she had felt_ when his fingers made contact with her waist. It was dangerous for Abby to let her mind linger on such thoughts or feelings, because it would only lead her to dangerous territory that neither of them could touch. _Territory that surely Abby wouldn’t want to touch._

So Abby took a deep breath and pushed aside her thoughts with the exhale of her breath, deciding to forget about it, attribute it to their close friendship and perhaps a moment of distraction and physical attraction, but nothing more. _Nothing that meant anything._

She grasped the doorknob and swung it open. But it wasn’t Marcus who stood at the front of her door. But two male police officers. They greeted her with a kind smile and the bow of their head. One asked, “Are you Miss Griffin?”

Abby nodded slowly, assessing them, a sense of uneasiness settling within her. “Yes. Can I help you?”

“Could we come inside? I think you may want to sit down when you here this.”

Abby stood a little taller, trying to ease the apprehension of having two officers at her home. She replied, “If it’s okay, I’d like to stay right here. Now what is this about?”

One officer repressed a heavy sigh, and shared a crumpled look of sorrow and regret with his partner. Then he pulled out a brown leather wallet from his back pocket, a familiar brown, leather wallet. Abby watched him open it to reveal a driver’s license with a photo ID of Jake Griffin.

“I’m sorry Miss Griffin to be the bearer of bad news. Your husband has died.”

Then Abby’s world crashed and burned.

The officer’s mouth continued to open and close monotonously like the mouth of a gaping fish, something about lightening and the plane’s reserve fuel tank and an explosive, but Abby heard nothing. Nothing but the ringing sound of blood rushing in her ears and the galloping pounds of her heart.

They were wrong.

There was some sort of mistake.

Abby tried to open her mouth to correct them, but she could barely breathe let alone talk, barely stand, _barely move._ She felt her legs quack underneath the weight of this news, _the weight of the world,_ weight that increased with every passing moment that she let them talk about her husband’s death, and Abby clutched the door for support.

Finally, Abby uttered, “T-there must be some sort of mistake.”

Planes in Australia were sophistically engineered to avoid malfunctioning from something as small as a strike of lightening hitting the aircraft and its reserve fuel tank.

Surely aircraft engineers would have accounted for the impact of lightening when designing their aircraft to test and ensure for a sturdy design?

Virgin Airline staff would not have let the plane disembark if it was going to explode mid-air minutes later.

Jake couldn’t be dead, because Abby was making him his favorite meal and he had promised her a soothing scented-oil massage and chocolates and whatever else it would take to make it up to her for leaving her and Clarke for this business trip in the first place.

Abby tried to tell the officers all of this, but her mouth was clamped shut like a barbed wire trap, her tongue, dead and useless in her mouth like a heavy paperweight. The officers could see the poor widow struggling, her face contorted with pain and frustration, looking as if she was going to scream or cry.

Finally, Abby managed to open her mouth. She did both all at once.

Abby fell to the ground and screamed, cried and wailed. Her tears shattered in her chest and spilled from her eyes, and Abby let out a gasping cry again.

Quickly the officers helped Abby off the ground and into the hallway. In the back of her mind Abby registered Clarke’s little feet padding down the stairs and the smell of burnt cheese and pasta drifting from the oven. But Abby processed nothing.

Numb and broken, Abby curled into a ball and cried, and cried, and cried.

She watched the world crash and burn around her, before it all slipped away.

…

The front door was unlocked when Marcus arrived at Abby’s house. He opened the door and let himself in.

“Uncle Marcus?”

Clarke’s quiet, fearful voice caught him off guard. He looked up to see her bounding down the hallway towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Marcus knelt down and picked her up, before spinning her her around and into his arms. But it didn’t stir the bubbly laugh from her like it usually did. Instead Clarke looked scared, distressed.

“Hey princess, something wrong?”

Clarke nodded, breathing a little better now that he was here. She mumbled, “Mom’s crying. She’s acting funny.”

Frowning, Marcus put Clarke down and followed her into the kitchen. Sheets of smoke whiffed through the kitchen, and the dish of pasta bake sat on the kitchen counter, burnt. Marcus placed the bottle of wine on the bench as he assessed the situation. Abby was standing at the kitchen bench, her hands trembling as she tried to pour herself a glass of water, eyes puffy and red from crying.

Tentatively, Marcus said “Abby?”

Abby jumped and dropped her glass. It rolled off the bench and crashed onto the floor. She swore under her breath, and frantically searched for the dustpan and brush.

Marcus quickly ran over and stopped her, taking her by the shoulders, assessing her. “Abby, what’s wrong?”

Abby didn’t reply, staring at him with expressionless, tired eyes. Clarke spoke up. “She wasn’t talking for ages. She just sat there in front of the television, crying. I couldn’t get her attention.”

Marcus let Abby go and walked into living room, where the television played, showing the breaking news of flight VA 1207 that had been struck by lightning, causing the reserve tank within the plane to explode and sending the plane crashing down. Marcus heard footsteps around him and turned around to see Abby, standing deadpan near the doorway.

Without taking her eyes off Marcus, Abby said with a trembling breath, “Clarke, could you go to your room for a minute please?”

Clarke shifted her gaze between the two adults. Usually she would protest, stamp her foot and insist on knowing what was going on, always one to hate being left in the dark. But Clarke sensed the foreboding energy within the room, and it made her scared. So she obliged and hurried upstairs.

Once she was gone, Abby felt the wave of tears building up within her again, almost drowning the air from her lungs. “He’s dead Marcus,” Abby choked, breaking down onto the ground.

Marcus instantly hurried over and dropped down to her level, trying to gather Abby into his arms. Abby cried and gulped down air, trying to breathe, trying to stop the tears. “Jake died on that plane, and they came to my house and they want me to identify his body and I just -c-can’t, I- I c-can’t do this Marcus, I can’t g-go there. How am I supposed to do this?”

Marcus hugged her tighter, trying to sooth her, telling her that she wouldn’t need to worry about the body, that they could worry about identifying Jake’s body later. And as he did so, he slowly began to process the news of his friend’s death. Marcus too felt tears constricting painfully in his chest and he inhaled sharply, swallowing back his cries and his grief so he could be there for Abby. All the while the words circled through his head, stabbing pain through his heart each time, _Jake’s dead…Jake’s dead…Jake’s dead…_

“It’s not just identifying the body,” Abby sobbed, lifting her head up and leaving his embrace. “How am I supposed to tell Clarke? H-h-how am I s-supposed to r-raise Clarke by myself? I can’t do this Marcus I c-c-can’t do this alone.”

“You won’t have to do this alone Abby,” Marcus promised, brushing the tears away from her eyes, and trying to search her eyes with his reassuring gaze. “Abby, I promise you. I won’t let you do this alone, okay? I’ll be here with you and Clarke, all the way. We’ll do this, together. I’m not going to let you grieve alone.”

And through her tears, Abby’s sobs quietened. Finally she asked quietly, “Do you mean it Marcus?”

“Of course,” Marcus whispered. “I promise Abby. I’m not going to let you do this alone.”

_Yet one year later, Marcus would break that promise and leave the country, leaving behind a letter apologizing for his disappearance, and taking with him the heavy trepidation and heartache that he would never be able to return to apologize and make things right with her._

_To tell her just how much he loves her._

…

_Present day…_

_“Hey this is Marcus, I’m not available right now. But if you leave your name and number I’ll get back to you when I can.”_

_Beep._

“Shit,” Abby swore under her breath, her call to Marcus once again going to voicemail.

Abby held her phone in her hand and stared at the screen again, stared at the five red missed phone calls notification. Quickening her pace towards the hospital exit with a fierce determination – and almost crashing into two nurses as she did so – Abby dialed Marcus’s number again, murmuring “Come on Marcus, _come on_.”

She held her breath as the call rang, her heart sinking with each unanswered ring, then-

_“Hey this is Marcus, I’m not available right –“_

Abby violently hit end and let out an animalistic sound, half a frustrated sigh and half a growl, earning her a few strange stares from her colleagues in the hallway. Then she felt her phone buzz, and Thelonious’s face flashed on her screen. Abby wanted to throw her phone into the wall. Instead she shoved her phone back in her bag and quickened her pace so she was running out of the hospital and stumbling down the parking lot and into the streets, wanting to put as much distance between herself and Allie and Jaha and the insanity that had erupted in her office moments ago.

Abby stopped in the middle of the pathway, panting. Whether she was breathless from running or the panic that was rising within her chest like high tide she wasn’t sure. Abby closed her eyes and tried to focus, _tried to breathe._ She mentally swore at herself for not driving, knowing that she could have been at the pier within minutes if she had brought her car, but now it would be roughly a twenty-minute walk to the docks, _ten if she ran._

_“I wouldn’t even be surprised if he was on a plane and out of the country already. You know how the man liked to run away from his grief.”_

Thelonious’s words drifted back to her, whipping fear into her already racing heart. Abby tried to shake it away and regain her sense of direction. She knew that Jaha was just trying to scare her, knowing that Abby feared instability and abandonment from those she loved most, and trying to use that fear to keep Abby by his side, like a chained dog to his Master. Surely there was no truth to what Jaha was saying. _Surely Marcus wouldn’t pack up and leave his life and his home over one text message?_

Still, Abby ran a little faster and pushed herself harder, even though it was twenty-seven degrees and her work pants and blouse were rubbing uncomfortably against her sweaty skin, and even though she was sure her heart would burst from her lungs and she may collapse from physical and emotional exhaustion, Abby ran.

_She had to get to Marcus. She had to explain everything to him. Abby prayed that she wasn’t too late, that she could still fix this. Abby prayed that Marcus would still be there._

These were the thoughts that powered through Abby’s mind as she raced down the streets and towards the ocean, until she could see the tips of the ships peaking above the wooden docks.

Yet when Abby finally reached the pier, Marcus’s yacht was gone.

Abby rested her hands on her knees as she panted, desperately searching for the white yacht and the golden _Apikaira_ down the side. Yet with each moment that passed by without any sight of Marcus’s yacht, Abby’s mind spun as she found it harder and harder to breathe.

Then Clarke’s previous words drifted back to her, resonating in her mind like a haunting lullaby.

_“Do you really think that he's going to want to stay here and watch you marry Thelonious? Especially since you won't say a word to him. I mean- could you really blame him if he left again?”_

“No,” Abby whispered, fear and desperation clutching onto her heart. “Please no, no…God dammit Marcus, _I can’t do this again_.”

Abby took a long, steady breath, and closed her eyes.

_Abby wouldn’t do this again._

Finally beginning to calm the panic within her, Abby tried to think. For all she knew Marcus could be anywhere, sailing into the Whitsunday Islands or crossing the state border. Abby had to be logical. It wasn’t five o’clock, meaning that Marcus had less than a couple of hours of sunlight left to guide him unless he wanted to sail in the dark guided by the dim starlight, and not even Marcus was reckless enough to do that. _Then where would he go?_

But Abby knew deep within her gut where Marcus was. _Hamilton Island._ An island that was an hour away from Proserpine, and where their local airport was.

“Think Abby,” Abby whispered to herself, her eyes sweeping across the docks and out to the ocean. “How can you get yourself there?”

Nobody would be taking tourists out to sea this late now, even now Abby could see Kyle Wick just pulling in for the day on his motor boat.

_Kyle Wick._

In a heartbeat, Abby was racing down towards Wick just as he climbed up onto the pier.

“Kyle!” Abby called out, startling him. Flush-faced and breathless, Abby continued “Kyle please, I need you to take me out to Hamilton Island, now.”

That was the last thing he was expecting from Proserpine’s local Doctor. “Abby, I-what’s this about?”

“I haven’t got time to explain, but it’s urgent.”

Abby could see the conflict battling on the man’s features, guilt crumpling around his eyes when he replied, “I’m sorry Dr. Griffin, I wish I could help, but I can’t. I have plans tonight. Besides, this boat is ancient, her fuel tank could barely hold enough fuel to take you there. I only use her for the odd fishing trip.”

Abby silently cursed, then she remembered. “Kyle, don’t you still work for Sunset Cruise?” At Kyle’s nod, Abby continued, “Well, don’t they operate motor boats, newer models that could get me there?”

Kyle nodded again, but seeing where she was going he quickly added, “But those boats aren’t insured. If I was caught riding one of those, my supervisor would kill me, _after_ tearing me apart and feeding me to the sharks.”

Abby didn’t have time for this. She took out her wallet and shoved a fifty-dollar bill in his hand, saying “Then let me take it, and if your supervisor asks, I’ll say I broke in and stole the keys to the motor boat myself.”

Kyle didn’t look too sure. Abby tried again, pleading with him, “Please Kyle, it’s urgent.”

With a small sigh, Wick nodded and pulled out a set of silver keys from his pocket, handing Abby a small one. “Take the blue one,” Wick tilted his head to the blue motor boat. “It should get you there.”

Abby passed him a grateful smile and her thanks and hurried off. Abby climbed into the sleek motor boat, and perched herself on the driver’s seat. She stared at the wheel and familiar but unnerving board of complex buttons and switches, trying to recall the boating lessons that she had taken with Marcus, all of which felt like a lifetime ago now.

“Abby, are you sure about this?” Kyle called out from above, growing concerned at Abby’s uncertain gaze. “Do you even have a boating license?”

“Yes,” Abby lied without looking up.

Wick did not look convinced. He cast a worried look at the sky. “It’ll be dark soon Abby. Unless you’re familiar with your route, you’ll be driving in the dark and may veer off course. Are you sure this can’t wait until tomorrow?”

“It can’t,” Abby said decisively, lifting her head up. Abby hesitated, before continuing, a look of determination replacing the uncertainty in her eyes. “If I don’t tell Marcus now, then I may never get another chance too.”

Wick’s eyes widened at these words. “Wait, this is about Marcus? Abby, I passed Marcus on my way back here twenty minutes ago. I don’t know where he’s going, but if you hurry, you should be able to catch him.”

Abby’s heart leapt at this. _She still had time._ Casting him a grateful smile, Abby called out her thanks. Then she took a brave breath and twisted the key. The engine roared to life, startling her with a small jump. Carefully, Abby reversed out, almost bumping into the docks as she did so.

Abby took a steady breath and murmured, “Okay Griffin, so you never got your license, and you haven’t driven in years, but you’ve got this _.”_

And with the flick of a switch and the twist of the wheel, the stuttering noises from the boat’s engine gradually died down to a purr, and Abby spun the boat around and powered it smoothly out of the docks. With one hand holding onto the wheel, Abby took out the booklet pocketed in the cubby holes underneath and flipped through the index until she found _H_ and _Hamilton Island._ Finding the coordinates, Abby typed them into the coordinate system.

Abby lifted her head back, her hair fluttering around her frame with the sea breeze as she let out a silent prayer into the ocean that she wasn’t too late.

…

Yet despite her smooth sailing, it didn’t take Abby long to start doubting herself all over again.

Besides the short moment when Marcus had allowed Abby to drive his yacht that evening, Abby hadn’t driven a boat in years, not since Jake had passed away. She was driving unlicensed, and if something happened to this boat – _like running out of petrol and being stranded at sea, or being knocked over and battered by the waves –_ than there would be consequences, _legal_ penalties for her and her profession that had strict codes against illegal conduct, even meniscal crimes such as driving an essentially stolen boat, unlicensed. Not to mention that the sunlight was quickly fading away, and if Abby didn’t get there soon she would be driving in the dark.

Just moments ago, Abby was prepared to endure her marriage and figure out how she was going to talk to Marcus and end their affair. Now she was motoring out to an island that he may or may not be at, a decision that she was basing entirely on her gut instinct, preparing to throw away her marriage and sacrifice her career just for the chance that she could catch him in time and tell him that she loves him.

_What the hell was she thinking?_

“I can’t lose you again,” Abby whispered, the realization sinking into her.

Because it was the truth. _She couldn’t lose him again._ When Thelonious had revealed that he knew about their affair the whole time and his plans to use Abby to advance his career, that wasn’t what drove Abby out the door and into this boat.

It was when Thelonious had showed her the text message he had sent to Marcus, and the _very real_ possibility that Marcus would leave her, both because he was consumed with sorrow and grief at losing Abby to Jaha, and because he would want to respect Abby’s wishes too. Then Thelonious had reminded Abby about the time Marcus had abandoned them before, and it all came rushing back.

_Clarke pushing her food around her dinner plate with heartbreak radiating in her baby blue eyes, oblivious to Abby’s cries for her to eat, too consumed in her own grief. Abby curled in her bed with Marcus’s letter scrunched in her hand, red-eyed and her pillow soaked with tears, her phone buzzing with another person desperately trying to call her, Jaha, Raven, Work, each of them ringing out to her voice mail._

The memories brought back a flood of overwhelming emotions; anger, hurt, grief, panic but most of all, _fear._ An all-consuming, chilling trepidation at the thought of losing Marcus again, _of going through all that pain again._ It had taken Abby and Clarke years to pick up the pieces after Marcus’s departure and piece themselves back together and move on with their lives.

And Abby wasn’t sure that she could do it again.

“Please Marcus, I only just got you back,” Abby whispered into the ocean breeze, tears constricting in her chest at the thought of losing him. “I can’t lose you again.”

Suddenly remembering just how long she had been gone for and that Clarke was probably at home waiting for her, Abby picked up her phone (ignoring the three missed calls from Jaha) and dialed Clarke.

Clarke answered instantly with a bombardment of, “Mom, where are you? What happened between the three of you in your office? Thelonious looks as if he’s about to tear the house down and Allie had to chase away the rest of his campaign team before-”

“Clarke, I’m fine, I promise you,” Abby interrupted, fear catching in her throat at the mention of Jaha in her house. “Clarke, listen to me, I need you to leave. Go and see if you can stay at Raven or Lexa’s house for tonight, but I do not want you near either Thelonious or Allie. Do you understand?”

There was some silence, then “Mom, what’s going on?”

Abby took in a rattling breath, and replied, “Thelonious and I had a fight, and given his… _delicate_ mood, I don’t think it will be a good idea for you to be with them tonight.” Abby hesitated, then said carefully, “Clarke, I think you were right. I think Marcus is going to leave, and I-I can’t let that happen, at least not without telling him-” Abby stopped, worried that she had said too much, worried about her daughter’s reaction.

Yet Clarke’s tone lightened when she replied, “So you’re going after Marcus then?”

“Yes honey, I am.”

Clarke sounded ecstatic and in disbelief when she cried, “Mom, that’s awesome!”

Abby smiled at her daughter’s joy. “Clarke, I don’t know what’s going to happen. But I just need you to leave the house for now, alright?”

“Yeah, yeah I’ll go to Raven’s,” Clarke said absentmindedly, and Abby could tell that she was still overjoyed with the news. “Mom, what are you going to tell him? Have you thought about what you’re going to say?”

“I-I guess I haven’t thought about it yet-“ A choppy wave suddenly hit the boat with intensity and cut Abby off, knocking her off her seat. Abby gripped the wheel and her phone a little tighter as she got up and back onto her chair. “Clarke, I need to go now. The waves are getting choppy out here, I need to focus on driving.”

“ _Wait, you’re driving a boat alone?”_

Abby almost laughed at her tone. “I know, I can barely believe it myself.”

Abby heard Clarke laugh too. “Hey Mom,” and Abby could imagine her daughter smiling widely as she said, “When you see him, don’t hold back.”

Abby was still smiling into the phone when her daughter hung up, whispering, “I don’t plan on it.”

It wasn’t long before Abby could see the lush, verdure-like humps of Hamilton Island rising in the distance, the peak of the islands like two shoulders above the water, and the slopes coming around like bushy green arms embracing the ocean. As she neared the island, Abby could make out the palm trees curving out from all different ways across the shore, their leaves swaying in the wind, and the long, wooden pier stretching across the shore with its four platforms branching out into the ocean. Abby’s eyes searched the docks as she neared the shore, sweeping over the fishing boats rocking in the water and the giant, smooth hydro jets. Then she found Marcus’s yacht, instantly recognizing its sleek, white color, golden-ribbon stripes around the edge and the cursive _Apikaira_ inscribed down the side.

Abby breathed out a relieved cry, one that she had been holding in all day since she fled the hospital that afternoon. _Her gut had been right all along._

But…why was the boat slowing down?

Abby frowned and paused to listen, the boat’s previous smooth motion slowing down to small, jittering chugs, and the engine’s once powerful roar taming down to a protesting growl. Abby glanced at the fuel tank. _She was empty._

Abby cursed again. She glanced out to Hamilton Island, quickly estimating how far she was from shore – _six hundred meters? Seven hundred? Half a mile?–_ and just what her chances were of swimming to the island alone. Abby soon realized that she wouldn’t have a choice as her boat slowed down with its final _chug,_ still, merciless to the choppy waves bating the boat from side to side.

Abby glanced out towards the island again, fear crawling into her chest when she realized how far out she was. “Well, there’s always a first time for anything,” Abby whispered to herself. Taking a deep breath, Abby kicked off her shoes and dived into the ocean.

Then she swam like her life depended on it.

The water was surprisingly warmer than she expected it to be, heated from the afternoon’s sunshine. Abby had never been a strong swimmer, but tonight she pushed through the water and waves with a primal strength and kicked furiously, battling against the rough waves and salty water that burned her sinuses and choked her lungs, and the chill that nipped her face with each time she rose to breathe.

In the back of her mind Abby knew that this was insanity. Somewhere in-between logic and panic Abby Griffin was recalling the time she almost drowned before she had collapsed into Marcus’s arms that day they went snorkeling, and she calculated just how much time Abby had left before exhaustion would ache in her muscles and drag her underneath the waves.

But Abby knew that Marcus’s yacht was still there, so she knew that she still had time to get to him, maybe not much time, _but she had this chance._ And that was what powered her through the water until finally, she felt the tips of her toes touch the sand.

Abby clambered up the sandy hill until she was on her knees, chest deep in water, gasping and coughing. She stood up and brushed away her curtain of drenched hair from her eyes, readjusting to dry land. Then from a distance, she heard a familiar voice,  

“ _ABBY?”_

Abby’s heart leapt, and before she dared to believe it she heard the splash of footsteps in the water and saw Marcus running over. If Abby wasn’t too tired, she was sure that she would laugh with relief and joy. Instead she ran, well _stumbled_ over to him to meet him half way as best she could in her drenched, work clothes, before practically falling, panting, into his arms.

“Oh my god Marcus, I can’t believe you’re here.”

“ _Me?_ Abby, what are you doing here?”

Ignoring Marcus’s question and clear disbelief, Abby uttered into his neck, “Please don’t go.”

Marcus pulled back from their embrace. “What?”

Abby lifted her head up, his eyes searching hers with the same tenderness and concern that they always held for her, that look melting warm into her heart. Abby went to brush away the worried lines that wrinkled around his features.

“Please don’t catch that plane and leave. Marcus, that text message you got from me, I didn’t send it, Thelonious did. _None_ of what he wrote is true. These moments we’ve had together were far from just a distraction, they meant the world to me.”

Marcus blinked slowly, stunned with disbelief. Finally he said, “Abby, I didn’t come here to leave.”

Abby blinked back perplexedly too. “You didn’t?”

“No. I came here to think. After that text message, I just needed some place to retreat and clear my head, to try and get some perspective on all of this. It wasn’t easy, but I knew that if I had stayed on that island I would have come after you, demanding an explanation, and I didn’t want to put you through that, to see the worst in me…” Marcus blew out a disbelieving sigh as the nature of what Abby had said washed over him. Hurt cracked in his tone as he continued, “I had wondered about the text message, I-I thought you might have sent it to try and push me away and end the affair. I knew that you would never be so cruel to send a message like that. But I would never have imagined that Jaha-“ Marcus stopped, fury suddenly hardening his features.

“Marcus,” Abby’s gentle voice and touch of her hand to his check brought Marcus back to her, his anger diminishing. “You’re right, I could never send you something so cruel. Thelonious sent it because he knows how much I love you, and he was scared. Almost as scared as I was when I arrived at the docks and saw that your boat wasn’t there.”

Marcus looked like he had been struck, wide eyed and speechless. “Abby, y-you love me?”

Abby let out a breathy laugh, amused at his stupefied expression. She slowly nodded. “Marcus, you idiot, of course I love you. God, _I’m crazy about you.”_ She saw his eyes light up at these words. _“_ You have no idea how hard it’s been for me to keep my distance and hurt you like this. I’m only sorry that it took me this long to break off my engagement and tell you.” Abby stopped, guilt softening her eyes. “Marcus, I hurt you these past few days. The way I treated you, ignoring you for so long even after you proposed to me-“

“Abby stop-“

“No Marcus, what I did was wrong,” Abby cut him off. “I hurt you, and you didn’t deserve any of that, not you…” Abby’s voice quietened as she met his eyes, her heart aching at the thoughts of all the heartbreak Marcus must have experienced this week. “I am so sorry Marcus. Sorry that I was too scared to tell you how I feel. But I was afraid of trusting my heart over my head, of trusting you. It doesn’t make it right, but I was afraid that leaving this marriage would be the wrong choice, for me and Clarke. But nothing made me feel more terrified than the thought of you leaving, and me missing every chance I had to tell you how I feel.” Abby’s hand went to caress the side of his face again, her eyes softening onto his with adoration and remorse. She drew in a brave breath and continued, “Marcus, I love you. And I only hope that you can forgive me.”

Slowly as Abby’s words sunk in, Marcus’s face split into a wide smile. He reached for her hand and intertwined their fingers together, his thumb running over her knuckles.

“Abby, I understand, you weren’t in an easy position, neither one of us were. There’s nothing to forgive.” Marcus stopped, realizing that his thumb had been running over bare skin this entire time, an unfamiliar sensation from the usual scratch that he felt from her engagement ring. He brought their hands up to his eyes and saw the missing engagement ring, his smile blossoming across his features. “You really have left him,” Marcus whispered, his heart soaring as it finally dared to believe.

Abby let out another breathy laugh and brought their hands to her chest, so he could feel her racing heart too. “Yes. I’ve left Thelonious and broke off the engagement. _I choose you_.” Abby met his kind eyes, eyes that stirred the warm, fluttering buzz in her chest that made her giddy and floating high into the clouds all at once. And wanting Marcus to feel the same, she repeated, “Marcus, I love you.”

Marcus’s heart accelerated at her words, an aching and overwhelming feeling blooming in his chest. He whispered, “Say it again.”

Abby tilted her head curiously to the side, a sparkle in her eye. She repeated it slower this time, savoring every word that she breathed out. “Marcus, I love you.” She saw his eyes light up at her words, so Abby repeated the words, again and again. “I love you Marcus, I love you-“

And with her next outbreath, Marcus closed the space between them and captured her lips in his. With a sharp gasp Abby’s lips fell open instantly under his, her eyes fluttering shut and head angling up so she could chase down his kiss.

_The kiss was everything and nothing like she remembered._

Marcus kissed her slowly yet with so much intensity at the same time, his hand cradling the curve of her neck and lips parting hers then closing softly over her lower lip, as if he was savoring each and every kiss. And Abby responded with equal passion, drinking him in as if he were her wine and she an alcoholic, getting positively drunk off his kisses.

Marcus kissed her as if he had dreamt about doing so every night since they had last since each other. Marcus kissed her until she saw stars exploding behind her closed eyes. Marcus kissed her until she felt the world melt around her and she melted into his arms. His kisses breathed life into her, and Abby forgot that they were still standing in the water, with the waves folding and uncurling around them. She only registered Marcus and his kisses and _how much she had missed him._

Abby had missed Marcus’s taste, spicy bourbon and mint, and how the lick of his tongue between her lips and across her teeth could bring her moaning into his mouth. She missed the way his fingers would tease her, curling into the side of her hip, slipping underneath her t-shirt and trailing across her waist, and curving underneath the back of her thighs but never quite where she needed them most, pulling her hips closer to his. And she missed all the little things too; the scratch of Marcus’s stubble across her jaw, his scent, salty like the ocean but sweet like flora, like the smell of a meadow after a storm.

Abby tangled her fingers through his hair and pulled him down towards her, suddenly starved, because it had been a week, a week too long since she had last seen him, and Abby had truly believed tonight that she may never see him again. Abby kissed him with a new intensity, suddenly thinking that there was still too much space between them.

Then Marcus’s fingers curved down to her arse and squeezed, releasing a laugh from Abby, the breathless tinkle in her throat that Marcus swore he would spend his life chasing. It was in that brief broken kiss that Abby snapped back to reality and the water surrounding them.

“Marcus,” Abby whispered in-between Marcus’s persistent kisses, smiling into his lips. “We should probably get out of the water.”

Marcus responded by lifting her laughing and gasping into the air. Abby quickly wrapped her legs around her waist, her arms tangling around his neck. “What are you doing?”

“Just following your orders.”

Then Marcus caught her lips in another heart-hammering kiss. Abby’s fingers tangled through his hair once more, the waves curling up and unfolding underneath her ankles. Marcus stepped back up the shore, heading back towards dry and stable land when he stumbled. Sensing his stumble Abby quickly unwrapped her legs and went to slide off him when Marcus stumbled again and fell, taking Abby with him.

They fell with a small splash onto the shore. Marcus fell onto his back with a grunt and a cringe, and Abby on top of him. Abby rolled off him and turned her head just as Marcus broke off into a chuckle. Abby laughed too as Marcus sat up, shaking her head.

“We’re worse than the kids these days,” Abby laughed.

Marcus smiled. He couldn’t care less. He reached for Abby’s hands and pulled her on top of him, so she was straddling his waist. She watched his face break into an endearing smile that stretched up to his eyes, which were radiating with devotion.

Abby found herself mirroring his smile. “Marcus, you’re staring.”

Marcus just shook his head, wondering if he should tell her that he didn’t think that he could ever be this happy again, and how he wanted to spend the rest of his life waking up to those eyes and that smile. Then Abby went to brush the waves of wet hair that had fallen over his eyes, releasing an amused chuckle from Marcus. “You like my hair, don’t you?”

Abby smiled and said huskily, “I like many things about you Marcus Kane. Your hair, your eyes,” and just as she said this Abby brushed her lips over Marcus’s brow. “Your nose, your lips, your jaw…” Abby continued to kiss her way down his face, down the slope of his nose and across the stubble peppering his jaw, before Marcus turned his head and caught her lips again. Marcus curled his hand around her neck to drag her back down onto the sand with him, a new hunger driving this kiss.

When they broke, breathless, it dawned to Marcus that Abby was actually here. With a bewilderment shake of his head he said, “I still can’t believe you’re here. That any of this-“ Marcus stopped himself before he could finish, _‘That any of this is real. That I could possible deserve you.’_ Instead he asked, “How did you even get here?”

“Here? I borrowed a boat.”

Marcus almost choked. “You drove a boat alone?”

“I paid Wick off to lend me one of Sunset Cruise motor boats, yes.”

“You bribed somebody, then drove an uninsured motor boat, unlicensed, when it was almost nightfall? Abby, what were you thinking?”

His words and concerned tone suddenly brought back memories from seven years ago. _Flashbacks of Marcus on the ground, injured from a fall off his ladder, and Abby worrying out of her mind as she mentally went through all the ways he could have died that day, before asking “You could have gotten yourself killed. What the hell were you thinking?”_

Abby almost laughed at the déjà vu, Marcus’s reply echoing in her head. _“I-I guess I wasn’t thinking?”_ So Abby replied too, “I guess I wasn’t thinking.” And Abby swore she saw Marcus’s eyes light in déjà vu too. “Marcus, none of that went through my head. All I could think about was you, and getting here before it was too late.”

Marcus felt the familiar aching tug of his heart strings at Abby’s words. Then Abby’s eyes suddenly snapped up when she remembered, “Wick’s boat. His boat is still out there.”

Marcus lifted her head up and followed Abby’s gaze to where the boat was out at sea, still rocking back and forth.

Abby said, “We should go and bring it in before it drifts out any further.”

But Marcus, with a smile and a sparkle in his eye, replied, “Screw the boat.”

Then he rolled Abby onto her back, pinned her onto the sand and kissed her senseless.

Marcus kissed her hard and slow, his lips claiming hers again, and again, and again. And despite the rocking boat that called for their attention and the water that licked her sides and rushed up underneath her back and onto the shore, Abby responded to his kisses, merciless to this man who she loved with every breath in her body.

It was amazing that Marcus had this power to chase away all her inhibitions, tearing down her walls until she was uncovered, bare, beneath him. Yet he did, and Abby could barely think let alone protest. Not when his mouth was peppering kisses down her neck, opening and closing long kisses down her throat and across her collarbone.

Abby tilted her head back into the sand to give him better access, her breaths quickening. Still, she tried to protest, “Marcus, we’re in the middle of the beach, anyone can see us-“

Abby’s breath cut off into a moan when she felt his lips sucking at the hollow of her neck, and she felt him smirk into her neck.

“You really want me to stop?” Marcus whispered into her ear.

No. Never. Not when her skin was catching fire wherever Marcus’s lips touched, down her jaw, behind the curve of her ear, the dip between her breasts….until she was melting underneath him. Not when his body felt so good and _right_ on top of hers, his chest pushing up against hers with each of his kisses. Not when his hands were exploring her body, skating over her waist, curving underneath the backs of her thighs, palming her breasts through her blouse.

So Abby just tangled her fingers through his hair and pulled his lips back onto hers to give him her answer. _No. Never._ Marcus grinned into her lips. Running his hands up her sides, his fingers began working at the top of her blouse. Marcus peppered kisses down the valley between her breasts as he slid the wet, satin material down her shoulders, kissing his way down to her stomach. Then he kissed his way back up her body, before his mouth reclaimed hers again.

Abby sank further back into the sand with each of his kisses, his body now covering hers completely. And between the electric buzz that sizzled throughout her with each of Marcus’s kisses and the dizzy smile that curved on her lips, Abby whispered into his mouth _“I do…”_

Marcus stopped, sitting up, not entirely sure as to what he just heard. Abby sat up and smiled at him, half delirious with desire and amused at his confusion. She touched his cheek and said, “Your proposal in the caves Marcus, if that’s still on the table…I do.”

Then she kissed his eye, his nose and down his jaw, all the while murmuring, “ _I do…I do…”_ Then she whispered her last _‘I do’_ into his lips in a feathery kiss, before pulling back, watching the disbelief and joy break over his features.

“You sure Abby? I didn’t think-“ Marcus stopped, watching the amused and adoring smile dance on Abby’s features, and suddenly felt a little abashed. “I just don’t want you to agree to anything that you’re not certain about. I know when I asked you that day in the caves, neither of us were-“

“Marcus, stop, I mean it.” Seeing his disbelief again, Abby said, “I told you. All I care about is being with you. It took today for me to realize just how scared I was to lose you, and now I know, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Overwhelmed with joy, Marcus kissed her until she was laughing into his lips again, and pushed her back down into the sand. He showered kisses all over her body, down her throat and over her breasts, his mouth worshipping her body like a golden shrine basking in the light, guided by Abby’s shallow breaths and moans.

“Marcus, we probably shouldn’t….here.”

Yet even as Abby protested her hips instinctively arched to meet his, desire quickly pooling between her thighs as she yearned for friction. And as Marcus’s hips rocked down to meet hers, her protests died into a moan. Abby wrapped her legs around his waist as his hips thrust down to meet hers again, sure that she was close to unravelling beneath him.

Finally mustering her control to push Marcus’s chest back, Abby said, “Marcus, if we don’t stop now then I’m afraid we never will.”

He arched an eyebrow and cast her a playful smile. “Would that be so bad? If I recall you never seemed to protest our other, ah, public affairs before.”

“Oh believe me, I tried.” Abby laughed. She shook head incredulously at him as she sat up, smiling at him with amusement. “Am I really that tempting?”

Marcus’s eyes darkened with lust. “You have no idea.” He glanced around at the empty beach and turned back to Abby with a suggestive twinkle in his eye. “Besides, from what I can see we’re perfectly alone.”

Abby laughed. “For now. But I’m not going to risk a boat pulling into the docks later and traumatizing some innocent bystanders, possibly children. Besides,” Abby continued with a suggestive smile and a twinkle in her eye. “I want to spend my first night with my fiancée somewhere more private.”

Marcus’s eyes lit up at her words. “Then I may know a place. And Abby,” Marcus reached for Abby’s hands, his fingers intertwining with hers. He ran his thumb over her empty index finger and said, “I’m going to do this properly, you know that? Next time I propose to you it won’t just be an impulsive proposal in a cave, it’ll be one that you deserve.”

Abby’s heart melted at his words. “I told you Marcus, I have everything I want right here. I don’t need a fancy ring or an extravagant marriage, all I want is a family. You and Clarke.”

The two of them shared an intimate smile before Abby suddenly remembered and turned around, glancing at Wick’s poor motor boat, still rocking out at sea. “But before we go, we really should get Wick’s boat.”

…

Abby wasn’t sure what to expect when she followed Marcus after they retrieved Wick’s motor boat and tied it safely back at shore.

Still, she stayed silent as she followed Marcus down a mysterious track and towards a cave hidden amongst a cluster of trees and a large sign stating NO TRESSPASSING. Marcus pushed away the sign as if it was just another branch without a word, leading Abby into the cave.

It wasn’t until minutes later when Abby felt wisps of steam puffing against her face and smelled an earthy scent, like creek water streaming over rocks, did she ask, “Marcus, where are we going?”

But no sooner had she said that did they arrive, and Abby couldn’t have prepared herself for this. A luxurious hot spring stretched throughout the heart of the cave, gleaming underneath the pale light and sheets of steam that coated her skin. The mineral water was so pure and clean that Abby could see the rocky bottom of the pool, reminding her of rainwater dripping off the forest leaves after a storm. A ring of candles sat around the hot-spring, splashing yellow, flickering light across the cave walls.

“Oh my God Marcus. How did you find this place? How did you set up the candles before-” Abby stopped mid breath, lost for words. She whirled around to Marcus and asked, “Did you plan on taking me here all along?”

Marcus’s lips twitched into an adoring smile at her dumbfounded expression. “Of course not. Although I had originally planned on coming here tonight alone, it’s usually a good getaway for me. I guess the candles being here is coincidental, probably another couple who came here before us. A friend showed me this little gem once. Only a few locals know about it and we tend to keep it that way to stop it from getting overcrowded, or worst, the council finding out about this place and claiming it as their own to profit off.”

Abby shook her head incredulously, her lips curving into an awe-struck smile. “Well it’s stunning.”

Abby was so transfixed on her surroundings that she didn’t register the rustle of cotton and splash of water until Marcus asked, “Care to join me?”

Abby lifted her head up, her heart skipping a precious beat when she saw Marcus standing waist deep in the spring, his clothes left in a pile near the pool. Slowly, Abby unbuttoned her blouse, watching Marcus’s eyes sliding down her frame as she shed off her top. Abby’s heart pounded when she saw the reaction she was having on him, his pupils dilated and chest heaving with a sharp intake of breath when Abby unclipped her bra. She was surprised and overwhelmed at the clear desire Marcus felt for her just by watching her strip.

Finally, Abby shimmied out of her underwear and stepped into the spring. She sighed as the hot water slowly engulfed her body and lapped at her chest, instantly feeling ten times lighter, the last of her worries melting away with the steam.

“Hey,” Marcus said as he approached her, taking her hands. “So, how does this compare to what you had in mind?”

Abby followed Marcus deeper into the spring, biting back a smile. “You certainly didn’t disappoint. I have to admit Marcus, I’m starting to enjoy our cave surprises.”

Marcus grinned. “Oh, we haven’t even started yet.”

Then he pulled her towards him and kissed her.

Abby sighed into his mouth as she returned the kiss, her arms snaking around his neck as she let him guide her deeper into the water. Feeling weightless in the water, Abby easily wrapped her legs around Marcus’s waist. Marcus’s hands soon slid down her back as he deepened the kiss, one hand cupping her breast as the other went to curve around her arse, pushing her hips against his. Abby moaned into his mouth, her teeth tugging at his lips with a new hunger.

It wasn’t long before Marcus had her pressed against the wall of the pool as he thrusted into her long and deep, the water making the sex all the while slower.

It was fortunate that few people knew about this secret location, allowing Marcus and Abby to stay in the cave for as long as they wanted too as they lost themselves to each other in the hot-spring late into the night. And they continued to do so even when they went back into Marcus’s yacht, Marcus taking Abby up against the kitchen bench and again his shower wall before finally, his bed.

It was as if they were making up for years of lost time.

This was the thought that passed her head as she laid in Marcus’s arms, her face curled into the crook of his neck as she listened to their racing hearts slow down to a normal pace. _Just how much lost time had slipped away._ But when she turned in Marcus’s arms and raised her head, she saw his lips crook into a wistful smile of his own, and she knew that Marcus had different thoughts from her.

_Just how much more time they had now in their future together, a lifetime of moments in-between a marriage and a family._

Still, Abby couldn’t stop the words from slipping out. “Marcus, why were we both so stubborn? If you hadn’t have left without telling me…if I had let go of my anger towards you sooner for leaving, then I would have woken up and realized that dating Thelonious was a mistake, then maybe we could have…”

Abby let her words trail off with the rest of her thoughts. _Maybe we could have gotten married years ago, perhaps even had children of our own, siblings for Clarke to play with…_

She didn’t need to finish her sentence. Marcus could read her expression. He studied her for a moment then simply said, “Wait here.”

Marcus disappeared for a moment, before returning with a small canvas that he revealed to her. By now, Abby shouldn’t have really been surprised that the painting was of her. Nonetheless, the painting took her breath away.

It was a painting of a younger Abby Griffin, leaning against the railings of a spectacular pirate ship and staring out into the ocean, the giant skeleton flag flapping in the air above her. Abby’s arms were raised with her elated smile as if she was about to take flight herself, her hair flying in the wind. _She was soaring across the ocean._

“I painted it later that evening when we returned home from the trip with the kids,” Marcus explained quietly. He placed the portrait on the bed and returned back to Abby’s side, continuing, “Looking back on it now, I think that was the moment I fell in love with you. When I saw this…this unwavering and furious love that you have for those kids, for anyone in your family. I remember how hard you tried to fight me to get those kids that boat ride, and the way your face lit up when I was able to give you that.” Marcus stopped for a moment to read Abby’s expression, then continued, “What I’m trying to say is, Abby, that man who painted that picture that evening could have never in a million years believe that you could ever love him back. But you do…and we’re here now, and _that’s_ all that matters to me. What we have together now and in the future, not what could have had or what should have been.”

Marcus stopped, watching Abby, growing a little more anxious with each passing silence. Abby stared at the painting again. _Nine years. That was how long Marcus Kane had been in love with her for._

“Abby, what are you thinking about?”

Abby lifted her gaze from the painting and back to Marcus’s eyes. Then she smiled, taking him by surprise. “I’m thinking that I don’t want to think about anything right now.” Abby placed the painting aside. “Marcus, you’re right. I don’t want to live in the past or wallow in our regrets anymore. I want to live in the present, right here, with you. We’ve lost too much time already. And I want to cherish every moment that I have with you.”

Marcus’s face split into an overjoyed smile of his own.

Then not wanting to waste any more time on words, Abby closed the space between them and kissed him.

And as the two of them curled into each other and under the covers, their bodies molding perfecting against one another like pieces of wet clay sculpting into a work of art, Abby fell asleep to Marcus’s sleepy mumbles about the grand house with the spectacular garden that he promised to build her when they got married. And Abby slept blissfully with dreams about a white wedding and her family.

…

“Clarke wait, let me explain! Clarke, I am talking to you, _get back here now_!”

Thelonious ran down the stairs, but he wasn’t fast enough to catch Clarke, who was grabbing her water bottle in the kitchen and hitching her backpack on her back, meters from the front door.

Clarke called out over her shoulder, “Save your breath Jaha! My Mom doesn’t want to speak to you, and neither do I. And you’re not my father, so don’t talk to me like you are.”

Thelonious’s eyes hardened and he raised his voice. “How dare you take that tone with me. You will drop the attitude and show me some respect or-“

“Or what?” Clarke whirled around, her eyes flaring with rage. “You’ll ground me? You’re not my Father Jaha, you’re not a part of our family at all. And you must be delusional to think that my Mom still wants to marry you.”

Clarke cast him a disgusted look before she made for the door. Thelonious quickly hurried after her and jumped between her and the door, blocking her. His tone softened as he took a new approach entirely. “Clarke please, if you could just call Abby and tell her-”

“How many times do I have to drill it into your brain? She doesn’t want to talk to you! And judging by how she sounded on the phone, I doubt she’ll ever want to again.” Then Clarke took a brave step forward, her voice lowering dangerously. “Now stand aside or I swear to God Jaha, I will punch your head into that door.”

Thelonious blinked once, then twice, before he stepped to the side. Without giving him a glance, Clarke left the house, slamming the door shut behind her.

Thelonious stood in the hallway, a deafening silence pounding in the air. Hot wrath coursed in his veins and thumped in his heart. His eyes narrowed at the front door, as if assessing it, preparing…his finger twitched by his side-

“Let her go Thelonious.”

Thelonious almost jumped with surprise. He spun around to Allie, who was standing at the doorway, looking surprisingly cool and collected as she always did.

“Chasing after Clarke is not going to help you now.”

Thelonious glared at Allie furiously. “If I could just get Clarke to call Abby, then I know Abby would pick up. I could explain-”

“Explain what?” Allie asked. “Clarke is right, Abby does not want to talk to you. She’d just hang up on you, and nothing you can say to her now will change her mind.”

“She’s going after Marcus, Clarke said so.”

“I know. One of my sources found Abby at Hamilton Island, with Marcus.”

The news hit Jaha in the stomach with full force. His body rolled forward and legs quacked with the weight of the news. He blew out a long breath as he processed the information, before finally whispering, “Then we’re finished then.”

“Not quite.”

“What do you mean? Our campaign is done. I may as well resign my candidacy to let another member step forward and save the party from total annihilation. You know as well as I that half the reason I got elected was because I had the town’s beloved doctor by my side. The people won’t vote for me when they learn just how despising I must be to have chased Abby away.”

Allie remained surprisingly calm and patient throughout Jaha’s clear distress. “Thelonious, there may be a way that we can save this marriage.”

“What are you talking about? You said it yourself. Abby doesn’t want to talk to me, and no doubt now she’s making plans with Marcus to leave me and this town with Clarke as we speak.”

“That’s not what I meant. There may be another way.”

Thelonious snapped his head up at her hopeful words, his anger diminishing. “Another way?”

Allie nodded and tilted her head towards the living room. “While you and Clarke were bickering, I was doing some investigating and stumbled upon some news. Come see.”

Curious, Thelonious followed Allie into the living room, where she had her laptop set up beside a cup of untouched coffee. Jaha sat down next to Allie and watched her load up the Internet, before she gestured for him to read the screen.

It was of a black and white document, with the words CONFIDENTIAL stamped across the page. Adjusting to the small print, Thelonious began to read, his eyes expanding with each bit of information that he read. His eyes were still lingering on the page when he had finished reading, dumbfounded at this document’s revelation. It was only then that he realized that he had been holding in his breath this entire time.

After a long silence, Thelonious spoke quietly. “Allie, this is a leaked document from the Australian Intelligence Security Office. It’s a crime to even be reading this.”

Allie cocked her head to the side. For the first time since Thelonious had met her, she looked taken back. “So? You know I took the liberty of strengthening your security system. Nobody will know.”

Thelonious squinted, studying Allie’s unblinking eyes, clasped hands and composed features. Suddenly he recalled the first day he had received the mysterious phone call from Allie, who had introduced herself and offered her services as his campaign manager. He thought that he had been fortunate to gain one so quickly (usually other candidates were not so lucky and had to rely on friends and family members for support), and attributed his fortune to his good networks and winning prospects. Yet funnily enough, none of his friends or colleagues had ever heard mention of Allie before. Actually…Allie had never spoken much about herself either.

Jaha suddenly wondered just where Allie came from and who she was.

Thelonious continued, his tone tense. “Allie…how did you gain access into ASIO’s database and their confidential files?”

Allie blinked, once again taken back. She glanced at the document then back at Jaha. “Does it matter?”

Thelonious tore his eyes aware from Allie’s, shivering under her chilly stare. He turned his gaze back to the document once more.

_WANTED: Simon Foster. Description: Suspected of leaking Australian Intelligence and conspiring with Iraqi forces. Current status: TERMINATED._

Thelonious glanced at the black and white profile picture. This man had long, wavy hair that curled around his ears and an untamed beard, but there was no mistaking the intense, brown eyes, taut jawline and other distinguishing features that defined Marcus Kane.

Allie was right. It didn’t matter. She had uncovered something big, and this was just what Thelonious needed to reclaim Abby, and his election again.

…

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it took so long! But I worked hard on this, so please leave a review and tell me what you thought. As you can see this fic is taking a bit of a turn as the drama starts happening, and i have BIG plans for it. Just who is Allie? Just who is Marcus? What will this mean for Abby and Marcus's relationship? Will they have that white wedding? God I'm such drama queen. Also, I know this was a big chapter but you guys had been waiting for so long so I thought you deserved it, plus the flashback was connected to the present moment so....I thought it flowed well. 
> 
> Thank you for all of the support and reviews and lovely messages that I have been getting, you guys are incredible and I love you all! I couldn't do this fic without your support, especially tinyabbygriffin for her wonderful fanart that made me fangirl, and Charlotte or the amazing mademoiselle xoxo

**Author's Note:**

> So I know this was 11, 000 words and the last thing you want to do is write a review, but please leave me your thoughts because I spent SO MANY DAYS working on this and it was a struggle to write, so any feedback would be appreciated! 
> 
> Anyway a few notes...Apikaira means Abigail in Maori. Hayman Island is not the Island I described not the picture above, but is the Island many people go snorkeling in and it's BEAUTIFUL. The island in the picture is the hill inlet, which is so gorgeous and the sand so freaking soft! (it's illegal to steal the sand and take it home, it's native to the land and so precious). 
> 
> I have many ideas for where I can take this fic, and nothing's set in stone. I have a very general structure for the fic but anything can go at this point, so if there's anything in particular you'd like to see please let me know. But for now, Marcus and Abby clearly have some history, which I'd like to explore. I may be slow updating this because I have about 3 free hours to write fic this semester, but I'll give it my all because i think this fic has so much potential and I want to do it justice and make it into something great. 
> 
> Anyway, please let me know your thoughts! And perhaps what you'd like to see too!


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